Fact Check: AI bot doctor strikes again, spreads misinformation on fevers

Hyderabad: The AI bot doctor is back with another misleading claim. This time it’s about fever.

Designed to look like a trustworthy veteran doctor, the AI video claims that the best cure for fever is rest, using a wet sponge and wearing light clothes. The bot does not suggest visiting a doctor or taking fever medication.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is missing context.

Why do we get fevers?

A fever is a sudden rise in body temperature beyond the normal limit. It usually means there is an abnormal process occurring in the body. There could be many reasons for the rise in body temperature.

A fever is not an illness by itself, but rather a symptom of a bacterial, viral infection or a reaction from an allergy to food or medicine. Becoming overheated during play or staying too long in the sun can also result in fever.

According to Hopkins Medicine, “Normal body temperature ranges from 97.5°F to 98.9°F (36.4°C to 37.2°C). It tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening. Most healthcare providers consider a fever to be 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. High fevers may cause seizures or confusion in children. It’s not how high the temperature is, but how fast the temperature goes up that causes a seizure.”

Hence, simply resting might not improve the person’s condition during fever. The temperature might subside in 2-3 days but if the temperature continues to rise, in some cases, it might prove fatal.

Some prominent symptoms of fever are:

- Flushed face

- Hot, dry skin

- Low output of urine, or dark urine

- Not interested in eating

- Constipation or diarrhea

- Vomiting

- Headache

- Aching all over

- Nausea

Severe symptoms also include seizures, nausea, confusion, stiff neck, irregular breathing, vomiting and diarrhea.

How to treat a fever?

An article in the Harvard Health Publishing suggests, “By itself, fever is usually harmless, though a high fever can be miserable.”

It provides some steps that may help the person feel better:

- Drink plenty of fluids to help cool your body and prevent dehydration.

- Eat light foods that are easy to digest.

- Get plenty of rest.

- Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, or others), or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to help relieve head and body aches and lower your temperature.

- Take a slightly warm (not cool) bath, or apply damp washcloths to the forehead and wrists.

“Caution: Don’t give aspirin to children under the age of 17. Aspirin in children may cause Reye’s syndrome, a sometimes fatal illness,” says the Cleveland Clinic.

The Covid-19 horror

Although the pandemic seems like it is behind us, no authority has yet released a confirmation. A fever is the most common symptom of Covid-19, but it’s sometimes below 100⁰F. In a child, a fever goes above 100⁰F on an oral thermometer or 100.4⁰F on a rectal one. Do not take fevers carelessly. Get yourself or your loved ones tested if your physician advises.