Fever

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/fever

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the thermoregulatory control center?The hypothalamus in the brain regulates the body's temperature set point
2. What is the upper limit of fever?Fevers rarely exceed 41°C (106°F) to 42°C (108°F)
3. What is a fever and why does my body get hot?A fever is when your body’s core temperature rises because the brain’s thermostat is set higher. This happens when tiny helpers called pyrogens, released by immune cells, tell the brain to raise the temperature to help fight germs.
4. Why do I feel cold and then hot when I have a fever?At first you feel chilly and may shiver as your body tries to reach the new higher temperature. Once the set point is reached, you feel hot and your skin may look flushed.

Pyrexia: The medical term for fever, indicating an elevated body temperature above the normal set point.
Endogenous Pyrogens: Substances produced within the body, often by immune cells, that trigger fever by acting on the hypothalamus.
Antipyretic Medications: Drugs, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, that reduce fever by lowering the body's temperature set point.