Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse (CPHON) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Monitoring for an increased risk of infection is crucial in children after splenectomy due to the spleen's significant role in the immune system. The spleen helps filter bacteria from the blood and plays a vital role in producing antibodies and mounting immune responses. Without a functioning spleen, children become more susceptible to infections, particularly from encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae type b.

As a result, these children often require vaccinations and possibly prophylactic antibiotics before and after the procedure to help mitigate this risk. Recognizing and addressing the increased vulnerability to infections is a primary concern in the post-splenectomy care of pediatric patients. While decreased wound healing, increased blood clotting, and fluid retention can be concerns in various clinical scenarios, they are not as directly associated with the loss of splenic function, making monitoring for infections the most critical aspect of post-splenectomy care in children.