The nurse is doing discharge teaching for a child who has had a tonsillectomy. The nurse tells the client and family that the child should have plenty of fluids. In addition, the nurse would explain to the child’s caregiver that the child may:

Be given ice cream and milk the first postoperative day because these foods make swallowing easier.

Have a painful earache around the third day postoperatively but the earache will be gone by the fourth day.

Vomit dark old blood but the caregiver should call the clinic if the child has bleeding between the fifth and seventh days postoperatively.

Have severe throat pain for up to 2 weeks postoperatively; this is not a concern.