Par Dr
Jacques Hyacinthe
This term was echoed for the first time around
the late 14th century as”feaver” meaning fever or temperature of the body
higher than normal. But it stemmed from the old French” fievre” by way of Latin
“febris,” related to” fevore”(to warm, to heat).
Generally speaking, a fever stands for an
elevation of body temperature above normal, which for most people has not been
well-defined since it is usually lower in the morning and higher in the
evening. Normally, the body temperature varies between 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit
to 99.5 with an average of 96.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Nonetheless, on a clinical
basis, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates someone to have a fever
when their temperature goes above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees
Celsius.
In terms of etiology, fever is part of the
overall response from the immune system and can be physiological stress at
times, namely during strenuous exercises or ovulation which is not of great
concern in adults. However, a fever is usually caused by an infection,
particularly in infants and children. Other causes of fever involve a host of
noninfectious processes such as lesions of the central nervous system, certain
inflammation, and release of materials from the body’s immune system in
leukemia, vasculitis, granulomatous diseases, etc.
Most adults and especially children may feel
uncomfortable with a fever, but it may accompany shivering, headache, and in
some rare cases confusion and delirium. Otherwise, a fever usually goes away in
a few days with hydration and some over-the-counter medications that may help
relieve discomfort. A word of caution, avoid giving aspirin to children because
it may cause, among others, a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome
which is characterized by vomiting and personality changes, namely
irritability, combativeness, and confusion.
Needless to
say, call your Physicians or any other qualified health care professionals for
anything that approximates this syndrome or any persistent fever.
Today's funny English word is Frolic(play and
move about cheerfully and energetically).
I wish you a sumptuous day, for the record.
