A high fever can impact the nervous system by causing temporary symptoms of mental dysfunction and, in some cases, seizures.
When body temperature rises significantly during a fever, it can interfere with normal brain function, leading to noticeable changes in behavior and awareness.
Symptoms of Nervous System Impairment Due to High Fever
According to information from 03-Apr-2023, high fever is associated with several effects on the nervous system, primarily manifesting as mental dysfunction. These symptoms are typically temporary and resolve when the fever subsides.
Common symptoms include:
- Confusion: Difficulty thinking clearly or disorientation.
- Excessive Sleepiness: Feeling unusually tired or drowsy.
- Irritability: Becoming easily agitated or upset.
- Convulsions (Seizures): Uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain that can cause changes in behavior, movements, feelings, or levels of consciousness.
Febrile Seizures
One specific type of seizure triggered by fever is known as a febrile seizure. The provided reference notes that febrile seizures are particularly common in young children.
- Prevalence: Febrile seizures frequently occur among children younger than 5 years old.
- Cause: They are specifically triggered by a fever, often a rapid rise in body temperature, not usually by an underlying epilepsy condition.
While these effects can be alarming, especially seizures in children, they are generally temporary consequences of the elevated body temperature on brain activity.
Summary of Effects
| Effect | Description | Common in |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Dysfunction | Confusion, excessive sleepiness, irritability | All affected by high fever |
| Convulsions | Seizures triggered by high body temperature | Primarily children < 5 years |
It is important to note that while fever affects the nervous system in these ways, these effects are usually short-lived and related directly to the elevated temperature.
