Question

A mother brings her child to you, who has a very high fever. Mother is complaining that the child did not want to eat anything all day long. She tells you that she was trying very hard to feed her child, but he simply refused the food. Could you please explain to this mother why her child is not hungry and why bringing the fever down would also bring the child's appetite back?

A. The child's appetite is reduced due to decreased enzyme activity.
B. The child's body is conserving energy for fever response.
C. The child's activation energy for eating is elevated.
D. The child's enzyme-substrate complex is disrupted.

Answer 1

The child's body is focusing its energy on the fever response to combat infection. When the fever is reduced, the body will return to normal functions including appetite.

Step-by-step explanation:

The child is not hungry and refuses to eat due to the physiological effects of the fever on the body. The correct answer is B. The child's body is conserving energy for fever response. When a person has a fever, the hypothalamus in the brain resets the body's temperature to a higher level. This increase in temperature is an immune response to fight off invading pathogens. Fever can lead to feelings of malaise and loss of appetite, as the body prioritizes fighting the infection over other functions such as digestion. The child's body is directing energy towards increasing the activity of enzymes and protective cells to combat the illness, and conserving iron to limit bacterial growth. A reduction in appetite is part of this process. When the fever is brought down, normal body functions, including the appetite, usually return as the body no longer needs to direct its energy so aggressively towards fighting the infection.