36.9 celsius fever for a baby

Fever in Babies Temperature: When Should You be Worried?

Last updated on 3 September 2020

Typically, your baby’s normal body temperature should stay between 36.5°C and 37.5°C. Any reading above 38°C is considered a fever.

When it comes to a baby fever, the best thing you can do is be prepared. When your baby is unwell, a fever is often the first sign of trouble. Fever is usually a sign that the immune system is fighting an illness or infection.

A few things to note about fever in babies:

Over-wrapping or a warm environment can cause the baby’s body temperature to be higher
How high a fever is does not indicate the severity of the illness that is causing the fever
Most childhood fevers are due to viral infection which can last from 5 – 7 days

How to take a baby’s temperature?

There are several different methods of taking a baby’s temperature. The best way to get an accurate temperature reading for a child younger than 3 years is by using a digital rectal thermometer. Ear thermometer, forehead thermometer and underarm readings are handy but aren't nearly as accurate.

When to call your paediatrician for fever in babies younger than 3 months old?

Call your paediatrician if your baby is below 3 months old and running a fever above 38°C. A persistent fever that lasts for more than 5 days is a cause for concern.

When to call your paediatrician for fever in babies above 3 months old?

Pay attention to your baby's symptoms and behaviour to determine how sick they are, and ask the doctor for treatment advice based on those signs. A fever usually goes away within 3 – 5 days but regardless of your child’s age, a persistent fever is a cause for concern.

If you are really worried, and if your baby’s fever is coupled with the following symptoms, head to the A&E department right away or call for an ambulance.

Appears ill, drowsy or unresponsive
Difficulty breathing
Has a rash that doesn’t fade easily
Has a stiff neck, severe headache or seizure
Inconsolable cry
Persistent vomiting with presence of bile or blood
The soft spot on the top of their head (fontanelle) curves outwards
Weak, high-pitched cry that’s not like their normal cry

During a medical emergency in Singapore, you can also call +65 6473 2222 for an ambulance that will transport you to the nearest hospital or a hospital of your choice. Learn more about Parkway Emergency services.

Infographic is reviewed by
Dr Lim Xue Yan, general paediatrics specialist at Parkway East Hospital
Dr Othello Dave, deputy medical director at Parkway Hospitals

Infographic brought to you by Health Plus

Reference

Fever In Children. Retrieved August 1, 2018 from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/Your Pregnancy and Baby Guide. Retrieved August 1, 2018 from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/how-to-take-your-babys-temperature/

Infant And Toddler Health. Retrieved August 1, 2018 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/thermometer/art-20047410

Taking Baby’s Temperature. Retrieved August 2, 2018 from https://www.webmd.com/baby/taking-babys-temperature

Taking Your Child’s Temperature. Retrieved September 19, 2018 from https://www.parents.com/health/fever/taking-your-childs-temperature/

Fever In Infants and Children. Retrieved September 19, 2018 from https://www.cfpc.ca/ProjectAssets/Templates/Resource.aspx?id=3596

Fever In Babies: 7 Things You Might Not Know. Retrieved September 19, 2018 from https://www.babycenter.com/0_fever-in-babies-7-things-you-might-not-know_10373598.bc

How to take your baby's temperature

A normal temperature in babies and children is about 36.4C, but this can vary slightly. A high temperature or fever is usually considered to be a temperature of 38C or above.

Your baby may have a high temperature if they:

feel hotter than usual to touch on their forehead, back or stomach
feel sweaty or clammy
have flushed cheeks

If you think your baby has a high temperature, it's best to check their temperature with a thermometer. This can help you work out whether you need to get medical advice.

H

ow do I take my child's temperature?

Credit:

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Ideally, you need a digital thermometer to get a fast, accurate reading.

You can buy these online or from pharmacies and most large supermarkets.

To take your child's temperature:

Hold them comfortably on your knee and put the thermometer in their armpit – always use the thermometer in the armpit with children under 5 years.
Gently, but firmly, hold their arm against their body to keep the thermometer in place for however long it says in the manufacturer's instructions – usually about 15 seconds. Some digital thermometers beep when they're ready.
The display on the thermometer will then show your child's temperature.

How can I make sure the reading is accurate?

If you use a digital thermometer in your child's armpit and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully, you should get an accurate reading.

There are a few things that can slightly alter the reading – for example, if your child has been:

wrapped up tightly in a blanket
in a very warm room
very active
cuddling a hot water bottle
wearing a lot of clothes
having a bath

If this is the case, allow them to cool down for a few minutes, but do not let them get cold or shivery, then take their temperature again to see if there's any change.

Other types of thermometer

You can buy other types of thermometer, but they may not be as accurate as a digital thermometer for taking a baby or young child's temperature:

ear (tympanic) thermometers – these allow you to take a temperature reading from the ear and are quick but expensive; they can give misleading readings if you do not put them in the ear correctly, which is more likely to happen with babies because their ear holes are so small
strip-type thermometers – these are held against the forehead and are not an accurate way of taking a temperature. They show the temperature of the skin, rather than the body

You should never use an old-fashioned glass thermometer containing mercury. These can break, releasing small splinters of glass and highly poisonous mercury. They're no longer used in hospitals and you cannot buy them in shops.

If your child is exposed to mercury, get medical advice immediately.

What causes a high temperature in children?

A high temperature is usually a sign that your child's body is trying to fight an infection.

Some babies and young children get a high temperature after having their vaccinations. This should go away quite quickly by itself. If you're concerned, speak to a health visitor or GP.

What should I do if my baby has a high temperature?

You can usually look after your baby or child at home when they have a high temperature. Make sure you give them plenty of drinks, to avoid dehydration. If you're breastfeeding, offer your baby plenty of feeds.

Always contact a GP or call 111 if:

your child has other signs of illness, such as a rash, as well as a high temperature
your baby's temperature is 38C or higher if they're under 3 months old
your baby's temperature is 39C or higher if they're 3 to 6 months old

If you need to speak to someone outside normal surgery hours, you can call your GP surgery's out-of-hours service (if they have one) or NHS 111.

Read more about what to do if your child has a high temperature.

Community content from HealthUnlocked

Page last reviewed: 27 February 2020
Next review due: 27 February 2023

Normal values of body temperature in children, measurement of the child's body temperature

It is believed that a healthy child should have a body temperature of 36.6 °C. And its increase over 37 degrees is regarded as a sign of illness. But it is not so.

Body temperature depends on age and measurement area. It can increase after physical exertion, emotional arousal and feeding.

Devices and time for measuring body temperature

To determine the temperature, the following types of thermometers are used:

digital;
mercury;
infrared.

The optimal time for thermometry is 7-9 am and 17-19 pm. As prescribed by the doctor, the determination of the temperature during the day in children can be performed 3-4 times.

What temperature is considered normal for a child?

Immediately after the birth of a newborn, the temperature of his body decreases by 1-2 ° C, then within 24 hours it rises to 36-37 ° C. In the first 3 months of a baby's life, its indicators are unstable and depend on external factors: air temperature in the room, sleep, food intake. Normally, these fluctuations do not exceed 0.6 °C per day. For children of the first year of life, a temperature of 37.7 is the norm.

The average body temperature for a child is 37°C. Usually in the morning - 36.3 ° C, and in the evening it can rise to 37.6 ° C.

In what areas can the temperature of children be taken?

Underarm

The temperature measurement time under the arm is 5-10 minutes and depends on the type of device.

In the rectum

It is used in children under 5 years of age and in debilitated patients. For this method, it is desirable to use medical electronic thermometers with a soft tip. It will take 1-1.5 minutes to determine the rectal temperature.

Oral

The procedure is performed both under the tongue and behind the cheek. Contraindications to the use of this method are: children under 4-5 years of age, increased excitability and impaired nasal breathing. The duration of temperature measurement by the oral method is from 10 seconds to 3 minutes.

In the ear

The temperature in the ear is measured with an infrared sensor. The tip of the thermometer is inserted into the ear canal and the result appears on the display.

On forehead

Forehead temperature can be measured with a contact and non-contact thermometer. It will take 3 to 5 seconds to get the result. If the baby is sleeping or excited, then it is more convenient to use a non-contact method for measuring temperature.

Crotch

Mainly used in infants. The measurement time in the inguinal fold is 5 minutes. The method is inconvenient because the baby is not easy to keep in one position during this time.

Ranges of normal temperature in children depending on age and area of measurement are presented in the following table:

	0-2 years	3-10 years	11-18 years old
In the armpit	34.7 - 37.2	35.8 - 36.6	35.1 - 36.8
On the forehead	36.7 - 37.5	36.7 - 37.5	36.5 - 37.4
in the ear	36.3 - 37.7	36.3 - 37.7	36.7 - 37.8

The child has a temperature of 37°C and no other symptoms. what to do?

Enroll

Many mothers like to take their children's temperatures for no particular reason (just to be on the safe side). And they are horrified! On the thermometer they see 37-odd degrees! Of course, now their duty is to figure out what is wrong with the child. Although, in fact, everything is in order with the baby: he is just as cheerful and active. True, his activity and cheerfulness quickly disappear at the moment when he has to take a series of tests and go to the doctors endlessly.

The fact is that body temperature does not have to be exactly 36.6 ° C. This figure was taken from 19th century research! And, of course, long gone. Normal body temperature depends on where it is measured. So:

in the armpit, the normal temperature ranges from 34.7°C to 37.5°C
in the rectum - from 36.6°C to 38°C
mouth - 35.5°C to 37.5°C
in the ear - 35.8°C to 38°C

In addition, body temperature directly depends on the time of day (it is lower in the morning, and rises in the evening), as well as on the degree of activity and emotional state of the child.