How To Take Your Baby's Temperature

If you think that your baby has a fever, it is vital to know the accurate temperature so that you can start the treatment as soon as possible. This is important as abnormalities in the body temperature almost always is a manifestation of something troubling inside the body. For this you need a quality thermometer for kids.

36.4 degree Celsius (97.5 degree F) is the normal body temperature of babies and kids. A fever is considered when the temperature is above 100.4 F or 38 degree Celsius.  It is likely that babies have fever if you notice the following:

·         

       Feel wet with sweat

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-      Have cheeks that are reddened or flushed

·        -Feel hotter than they are usually, when touched especially on the back, forehead or stomach

In case your baby is suffering from a fever, it is best to first check with a thermometer and then go for a doctor. This will help you to judge whether medical attention is at all needed or not.

How to take baby’s Temperature with Digital Thermometer?

 For taking an accurate reading you need a digital thermometer that you will get online or from supermarkets and pharmacies. Now follow the instructions for taking your kid’s temperature.

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      You must hold them firmly on your knee and you should place the thermometer in the armpit of the child. With kids under the age of five you should always use thermometer in the armpit instead of any other places.

·   Then you should firmly and gently the arm should be held against their body for keeping the thermometer intact for the length of time mentioned in the manufacturer’s instructions. While some thermometers beep when they are ready, it usually takes 15 seconds to detect the temperature.

·         The display will then portray your kid’s temperature.

How to take my baby’s Temperature with Other Thermometer Types?

In case of babies and very young kids, digital thermometer is the best type of thermometer. But here are some of the other types of thermometer that you can use.

ü  Strip-type Thermometers – These are not an accurate way of taking a temperature. They are usually held against the forehead. They depict the temperature of skin rather than the body.

ü  Ear (tympanic) Thermometers- With these, you can take the temperature from the ear. Though they are quick they are also very expensive. But they can provide misleading temperatures if you are not able to put the thermometer in the right way. This is mainly the case with the kids as their body parts are very small.

ü  Old-fashioned Glass Thermometers – You can also use the erstwhile glass thermometer that contained mercury. These can release glass splinters and very lethal mercury if they break. This can be life-threatening to your baby. They are no longer available in shops and not used in hospitals. If your baby gets any contact with the mercury then take them to professional medical custody immediately.

How to Make Sure that the Temperature is Accurate

 You should get an accurate temperature if you use a digital thermometer and put it under your child’s armpit and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. There are certain things that can alter the temperature slightly like –

If your child is:

ü  In a room with high temperature

ü  Wrapped up in a blanket tightly

ü  Hugging a hot water bottle

ü  Very active

ü  Bathing

ü  Has a number of clothes on

If that is the case, then you should allow your baby to cool down for a few minutes. But you should not let them get cold or shivery. Take their temperature again with a quality thermometer for kids, in such case, to get the accurate temperature.