A nurse is assessing a child who has nephrotic syndrome. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

The correct answer is A: Facial edema. In nephrotic syndrome, the kidneys leak large amounts of protein into the urine, leading to a decrease in plasma oncotic pressure and fluid shifting into the interstitial spaces, causing edema, particularly in the face and around the eyes. This is known as periorbital edema. Other choices are incorrect because hypertension (choice B) is more commonly associated with nephritic syndrome, not nephrotic syndrome. Smokey brown urine (choice C) is typically seen in conditions like acute tubular necrosis, not nephrotic syndrome. Polyuria (choice D) is not a typical finding in nephrotic syndrome, as the primary manifestation is edema due to protein loss.