What clinical finding should a nurse anticipate in a toddler who develops an infection after a bone marrow transplant?

In the context of a toddler who has recently undergone a bone marrow transplant and subsequently develops an infection, the anticipation of fever and lethargy is aligned with common clinical findings in such scenarios. Fever is a typical response to infection, particularly in immunocompromised patients, as the body's immune response activates to fight off pathogens. Lethargy also tends to occur due to the body allocating energy toward the immune response and potentially due to the underlying infection impacting the toddler's overall energy levels and mood.

Following a bone marrow transplant, patients often experience a temporary immunocompromised state due to the effects of the procedure and the required immunosuppressive therapy. As a result, they are susceptible to infections, and fever is one of the hallmark signs of such an infectious process. Lethargy can further be a consequence of the infection itself or a result of the body's vigorous response to the new environment following transplantation.

While other options might present relevant considerations for a patient post-transplant, they do not represent the immediate clinical signs that a nurse would primarily monitor in the case of an infection developing. For instance, positive blood antibody titers are more indicative of previous infections or vaccinations rather than an acute response to an infection. A delay in bone growth