Which client symptom requires immediate assessment after a neurological injury?

New onset of confusion in a dementia patient following a neurological injury warrants immediate assessment due to its potential implications. Confusion can indicate a range of critical issues, including worsening of the patient's underlying condition, the presence of an acute intracranial event such as a stroke, or the onset of delirium. This significant change in mental status requires prompt evaluation to determine the cause, assess the severity, and initiate necessary interventions.

While the other symptoms listed can also be associated with their respective conditions, they do not typically indicate immediate danger or require urgent intervention in the same way that new confusion does. For instance, bladder incontinence after a multiple sclerosis episode may be a common concern associated with the condition but does not represent an acute change that necessitates immediate clinical action. Similarly, the absence of reflexes in a patient recovering from Guillain-Barré syndrome needs monitoring but may be expected as part of the recovery process. The presence of drooling in Parkinson’s disease is also a manageable symptom that does not require urgent assessment. Therefore, the immediate priority is given to the new confusion, highlighting the importance of changes in cognitive function after any neurological event.