Pedia Patient with Fever Flashcards
most common reason for a sick child visit
fever
most common cause of fever in newborn
infection (neonatal sepsis) and overclothing
normal body temperature
36.6-37.9
t/f body temp is highest in the morning and lowest in evening
false, lowest morning highest evening, variation of 0.5C
fever is defined as ___
rectal temp >/=38 C
hyperpyrexia is __
> 40 C
most accurate method to measure temp
rectal temp
___ temp is higher than actual temp, while ___ temp is lower than the actual temp
rectal higher, axillary lower
mechanisms that regulate body temp
- hypothalamus responses to changes in blood temp
- skin and muscles have cold and warm receptors
endogenous pyrogens
il1b, il6, tnf-a, ifna and gamma
exogenous pyrogens
pamp pathogens, damp, toxins
infectious pathogens: microbes, toxins, and other microbial products (most common)
drugs
activation of cells leads to secretion of ___
il1 alpha -> pge2 (best mediator of pyrogens)
the body increases its core temp by activating ___
sympathetic nervous system -> inhibits sweating and shivering
heat production due to volatile inhalational anesthetic agents and muscle relaxants (succinylcholine)
malignant hyperthermia
heat production due to aspirin intake leading to development of reye’s syndrome
salicylate toxicity
examples of defective heat loss
ectodermal dysplasia
victims of severe heat exposure
t/f you give antibiotics if fever has been persistent for 6 days
false
most common cause of acute fever
infectious etiology (rarely goes above potentially lethal levels)
misc causes for fever
drugs (vancomycin), blood products, self-induced
beneficial effects of fever
- impair reproduction and inhibit bacterial and viral replication
- strengthens immune response to pathogens
harmful effects of fever
- increased o2 consumption
- co2 production
- increased fluid and caloric reqs
- can precipitate febrile seizures
pattern of fever: exaggerated circadian rhythm that includes period of normal temp on most days
intermittent fever (there should be a day/time the pt is fever-free)
pattern of fever: extremely wide fluctuations in temp but always with a fever
septic/hectic fever
pattern of fever: persistent and does not vary by >0.5C per day
sustained fever