Question

It is a hot summer day. A 6-year-old child has been playing outside and riding her bike. When she comes in for lunch, her face is red and she is warm and fussy. Her temp is normal. Which best explains what is happening to the child? The child-

A. is hungry and tired
B. is showing early signs of illness or infection
C. may be responding to weather and activity.
D. needs immediate medical care.

Answer 1

The child's symptoms of a red face and fussiness after playing outside on a hot day, with a normal temperature, are indicative of a response to weather and activity, not illness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The condition of the 6-year-old child who has been playing outside on a hot summer day and presents with a red face, fussiness but a normal temperature, is most likely explained as a response to the hot weather and physical activity. The red face and warmth can be attributed to the body's natural cooling mechanisms, such as vasodilation, where blood vessels expand allowing more blood to flow to the skin to release heat.


Since the child's temperature is normal, it suggests that the body is effectively regulating its temperature despite the external heat and exertion from riding a bike. Additionally, being fussy can be a common reaction to feeling overly warm and possibly dehydrated, so ensuring the child is well-hydrated and allowed to cool down would be appropriate measures.