Week 1- Fever Flashcards
Normal axillae body temp:
97.5 with range of 94.5-99.1
Normal oral body temp:
97.9 with range of 95.9-99.5
Normal rectal temp:
98.6 with a range of 97.9-100.2
Normal infrared tympanic temp:
97.9 with a range of 96.3-99.5
Lowest temp is between what hours?
4am and 8 am
When does body temp peak?
Between 4-6 pm
What individual and environmental factors affect body temp?
Age (slightly higher in young infants) Sex Physical activity Ambient air temp An atomic site
Where is core body temp most accurately measured?
Pulmonary artery
Other deep tissue locations (lower esophagus, nasopharynx)
Definition of fever?
Rectal greater than 100.4
Oral greater than 100.0
When does cellular damage occur with fever?
Doesn’t occur until 105.8-107.6
What beneficial effects does fever play in fighting infection?
Retards growth and reproduction of bacteria and viruses.
Enhances neutrophil production and T-lymphocyte proliferation.
Aids in the body’s acute phase reaction.
Does the degree of fever always correlate with severity of illness?
No it does not
Primary goal with fever?
Improve the child’s overall comfort rather than focus on the normalization of body temperature.
What controls the temperature the body tries to maintain?
Hypothalamic set point
What is the physiology of a fever?
Induces macrophages to release cytokines that function as endogenous pyrogens -> circulate to anterior hypothalamus -> increase local levels of prostaglandin E2 -> induce an increase in setpoint.
