Symptom

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/symptom

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 definition of a symptom?A subjective experience indicating a deviation from normal bodily function or well-being
2. What is the distinction from signs?Symptoms are perceived by the patient; signs are objectively observable by others
3. How is a symptom different from a sign?A symptom is what you personally feel, while a sign is something a doctor can see or touch, like a red spot on the skin.
4. Why do doctors ask about symptoms?Doctors ask about symptoms because they help the doctor learn what might be causing the problem and decide what tests or medicines to use.

Pathology: The study of the causes and effects of diseases and injuries on the body.
Subjective Experience: An experience that is personal and internal to the individual perceiving it.
Differential Diagnosis: The process of identifying a disease by distinguishing it from other diseases with similar symptoms.