Apr 18, 2011 10:55
13 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

well

English Medical Medical (general)
I'm translating doctors' notes about two children, they both suffered from frequent respiratory track infections, fever and some other childhood problems. The doctors examined the children and note e.g. the child is bright/happy/alert. Every time the children were seen they were ill: had high temerature and cough etc. Yet the doctors noted in numerous notes "o/e .... well". I am a bit puzzled as in medical senese ww would normally translate it as "healthy" or "feels well" but how can I say "healthy" if this is clearly not the case in this context?

"pyrexlal wrapped up += advised, several layers, tonsillitis, alert and well not ill"
"Examination of patient temp 37.5 grizzly/tearful but well alert chest cear rr 20 no recession no rash abdo soft non tender snotty no glands croupy sounding cough"
"Diarrhoea symptoms and vomiting cough diarrhoea o/e well child alert happy smiling playing apyrexial"

"cough10 days alert active smiling was pyrexial smiling good colour, chest clear apyrexial entnad not unwell advised viral urti"

"vomited twice this am & diarrhea today, now settled, no rash PUing OK. OE alert well not dry
chest celar abdo soft no mases no rash."

Discussion

Michael Barnett Apr 18, 2011:
Agree with Tina. It means that the patient looks well overall - animated, alert, smiles easily, etc.

Incidentally, don't use "well oriented". That means something completely different - that the patient knows who he is, where he is and the correct date.

I have no idea how this would translate into Polish, but the meaning should be that the patient did not appear too sick.
Ewa Dabrowska (asker) Apr 18, 2011:
Thank you both I have put "in a good condition" and it sounds good in Polish. And "not unwell" I have rendered as "is not in a bad condition".
Tina Vonhof (X) Apr 18, 2011:
OE or o/e On examination well (with or without 'alert') means that the child is not apathetic, drowsy, feverish, dehydrated, or showing other signs of being seriously ill.
lorenab23 Apr 18, 2011:
The full medical expression Is "alert and well oriented" or "well oriented and alert", I believe it has been reduced to "alert and well or well and alert. I think this fits since in all your examples, alert and well go together....
Hope this helps
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