A young man with malaria spikes a temperature of 105 F (40.5°C) and begins to hallucinate. How should the nurse assess this?

A. Dementia is not typically caused by sudden environmental changes. Instead, it is a chronic condition that develops gradually over time due to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or Lewy body dementia.
B. Dementia is characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive function, including memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. The progression of dementia is typically slow and leads to worsening symptoms over time. Currently, most types of dementia are considered irreversible, meaning that the damage to the brain is not reversible and the condition will continue to progress.
C. Dementia is a progressive condition that develops gradually, often over months or years. It is not characterized by a sudden onset. Sudden onset of cognitive symptoms is more indicative of delirium, which can be caused by acute medical conditions or other factors.
D. Dementia generally does not involve an altered level of consciousness. Instead, it primarily affects cognitive functions such as memory, reasoning, and orientation while consciousness remains clear.

A. While anxiety can cause symptoms like hallucinations, it's typically not associated with a sudden onset due to a physical illness and a high fever.
B. Delirium is an acute confusional state often caused by medical conditions, such as infections (like malaria), and is characterized by rapid onset, fluctuations in consciousness, and disturbances in attention, perception, and cognition. Hallucinations are a common symptom of delirium.
C. Dementia is a progressive decline in cognitive function, which usually develops gradually over time, not suddenly due to a fever.
D. While hallucinations are a symptom of psychosis, they are typically associated with underlying mental health conditions rather than a sudden physical illness.