Which finding should a nurse expect when assessing a child in sickle cell crisis?

In a child experiencing a sickle cell crisis, the most prominent finding is pain. This pain is a result of vaso-occlusive episodes, where sickle-shaped red blood cells obstruct blood flow in small vessels, leading to tissue ischemia. The pain can vary in intensity and is commonly localized to areas such as the chest, abdomen, joints, or bones.

During a sickle cell crisis, the physiological stress and resulting ischemia can trigger a significant pain response, prompting the need for immediate assessment and management of pain. This pain is often described by patients as severe and debilitating, emphasizing the acute nature of their condition during a crisis.

While high fever, bradycardia, and constipation can occur in various clinical situations, they are not the hallmark features of a sickle cell crisis. This reinforces the significance of pain as a primary clinical manifestation in such episodes, making it a key finding for nurses and healthcare providers to monitor closely.