How to check a newborn temp

Measuring a Baby's Temperature | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Where should a baby's temperature be taken?

Today's digital thermometers make taking a baby's temperature simple with quick results. For best results in babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends taking the temperature rectally, by placing a thermometer in the baby's anus. This method is accurate and gives a quick reading of the baby's internal temperature. A newer method to measure temperature called temporal artery thermometry is also considered very accurate. It causes less discomfort than a rectal thermometer and is less disturbing to a newborn. It measures the temperature of the blood flowing through the temporal artery, on the forehead.

Taking the temperature under the arm (in the armpit) is called axillary measurement. It may be used to "screen" or get an idea about whether or not any child has a fever. If it shows a fever, the temperature should be rechecked by a more accurate method. Other types of thermometers, such as tympanic (ear) type thermometers, may not be accurate for newborns and need to be carefully positioned to get a precise reading. Skin strips that are pressed on the skin to measure temperature are not recommended for babies. Touching a baby's skin can let you know if he or she is warm or cool, but you can't measure body temperature simply by touch.

Always use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Never use a mercury thermometer. For infants and toddlers, be sure to use a rectal thermometer correctly. A rectal thermometer may accidentally poke a hole in (perforate) the rectum. It may also pass on germs from the stool. Always follow the product maker’s directions for proper use. If you don’t feel comfortable taking a rectal temperature, use another method. When you talk to your child’s healthcare provider, tell him or her which method you used to take your child’s temperature.

Taking the baby's rectal temperature

Oral and rectal thermometers have different shapes and one should not be substituted for the other. Do not use oral thermometers rectally as these can cause injury. Rectal thermometers have a security bulb designed specifically for safely taking rectal temperatures.

Place the baby across your lap or changing table, on his or her belly, facing down. Place your hand nearest the baby's head on his or her lower back and separate the baby's buttocks with your thumb and forefinger.
Using your other hand, gently insert the lubricated bulb end of the thermometer one-half to one inch, or just past the anal sphincter muscle.
The thermometer should be pointed towards the child's belly button.
Hold the thermometer with one hand on the baby's buttocks so the thermometer will move with the baby. Use the other hand to comfort the baby and prevent moving.
Never leave a baby unattended with a rectal thermometer inserted.
Hold thermometer until it beeps or signals.
Remove the thermometer.
Wipe the bulb.
Read immediately and record.
Clean the thermometer with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

Taking your baby's temporal artery temperature

Place the thermometer sensor in the middle of the baby's forehead.
Press and hold the scan button.
Slowly move the thermometer across the forehead toward the top of the baby's ear. Make sure it always touches the skin.
Stop at the hairline and release the scan button.
Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.

If a baby's rectal or temporal artery temperature is 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher, call your baby's healthcare provider.

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The Growing Child: 4 to 6 Months
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The Pediatrician
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Time-Out

How to Take a Temperature (0-12 Months)

When Does Your Baby Have a Fever??

Rectal, Forehead or Ear temperature: 100.4° F (38.0° C) or higher
Under the arm (armpit) temperature: 99° F (37.2° C) or higher
Caution: Ear temperatures are not accurate before 6 months of age

Where to Take the Temperature

Rectal temps are the most accurate. Forehead temps are the next most accurate. Ear temps are also accurate if done properly. Temps done in the armpit are the least accurate. Armpit temps are useful for screening at any age.
Age under 3 months old (90 days old). An armpit temp is the safest and is good for screening. If the armpit temp is above 99° F (37.2° C), re-check it. Use a rectal reading. Reason: If young babies have a fever, they need to see a doctor now. New research shows that forehead temps may also be accurate under 3 months of age.
Age 3 months to 1 year old. Rectal or forehead temps are accurate. An ear thermometer can be used after 6 months old. An armpit temp is good for screening if it is taken right.
Digital (electronic) thermometers are easily found in stores. They do not cost very much. They can be used for rectal and armpit temps. Most of them give an accurate temp in 10 seconds or less. The AAP suggests you replace any glass thermometer in the house with one of these products.

Rectal Temperature: How to Take

Age: Birth to 1 year old
Have your child lie stomach down on your lap. Another way is on the back with the legs pulled up to the chest.
Put some petroleum jelly on the end of the thermometer and the anus.
Slide the thermometer gently into the anus no more than 1 inch. If your child is less than 6 months old, put it in no more than ½ inch. That means until you can no longer see the silver tip.
Be gentle. There should not be any resistance. If there is, stop.
Hold your child still. Leave a digital thermometer in until it beeps (about 10 seconds).
Your child has a fever if the rectal temp is above 100.4° F (38° C).
Warning: do not take rectal temperatures in young children with leukemia or other cancers. Also avoid in other children with weak immune systems such as organ transplant, HIV or sickle cell disease.

Armpit Temperature: How to Take

Age: Any age for screening
Put the tip of the thermometer in an armpit. Make sure the armpit is dry.
Close the armpit by holding the elbow against the chest. Do this until it beeps (about 10 seconds). The tip of the thermometer must stay covered by skin.
Your child has a fever if the armpit temp is above 99.0° F (37.2° C). If you have any doubt, take your child's temp by rectum or forehead.

Digital Pacifier Temperature: How to Take

Age: Birth to 1 year. Only good for screening. Requires the baby to suck on it, which is not always possible.
Have your child suck on the pacifier until it beeps (about 10 seconds).
Your child has a fever if the pacifier temp is above 100° F (37.8° C).

Ear Temperature: How to Take

Age: 6 months and older (not accurate before 6 months)
This thermometer reads the heat waves coming off the eardrum.
A correct temp depends on pulling the ear backward. Pull back and up if over 1 year old.
Then aim the tip of the ear probe between the opposite eye and ear.
Parents like this thermometer because it takes less than 2 seconds. It also does not need the child to cooperate. It does not cause any discomfort.
Caution. Being outdoors on a cold day will cause a low reading. Your child needs to be inside for 15 minutes before taking the temp. Earwax, ear infections and ear tubes do not keep from getting correct readings.

Forehead (Temporal Artery) Temperature: How to Take

Age: Any age
This thermometer reads the heat waves coming off the temporal artery. This blood vessel runs across the forehead just below the skin.
Place the sensor head at the center of the forehead.
Slowly slide the thermometer across the forehead toward the top of the ear. Keep it in contact with the skin.
Stop when you reach the hairline.
Read your child's temp on the display screen.
Note: some newer forehead thermometers don't need to slide across the forehead. Follow the box directions on how to take the temp.
Used in more doctor's offices than any other thermometer.
Parents like this thermometer because it takes less than 2 seconds. It also does not need the child to cooperate. It does not cause any discomfort.
Caution: Forehead temperatures must be digital. Forehead strips are not accurate.

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

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Last Reviewed: 10/25/2022

Last Revised: 03/17/2022

How to measure a child's temperature, types of thermometers, thermometers

Mercury thermometer

The armpit must be dry, otherwise the reading will be lower. But most importantly, you need to achieve immobility of the patient, and this is always a problem for the child.

It is mainly used to measure temperature in the armpit or rectum.

Child body temperature measurement technique (underarm):

Shake the thermometer to low
Insert the thermometer into the armpit and hold the child's hand so that the tip of the thermometer is completely surrounded by skin.
Hold the thermometer for 5-7 minutes
Read the data from the gradation of a mercury thermometer.

Recommended age of use: for children over 5 years old (or when the child can sit comfortably with a thermometer).

Rectal method of using a mercury thermometer.

Use only a rectal type thermometer for this method, do not use an oral thermometer for this method.

Shake the thermometer to the low mark.
Apply a coat of Vaseline or other lubricant to the end of the thermometer.
Insert the end of the lubricated thermometer into the anus about 2.5 cm, or until the measuring tip is completely covered.
Hold for 2-3 minutes.

Digital (electronic) thermometers

A digital thermometer consists of an electronic sensor at one end and a screen at the other end to receive. Digital thermometers can be used in several ways: by mouth (orally), rectally (through the anus), and under the arm.

The algorithm for measuring temperature with digital thermometers is the same as for a mercury thermometer. At the end of the measurement, a signal is given to end the process.

Thermometer pacifier (electronic)

Thermometer pacifier - great for babies. But there is one drawback: during the measurement, it is necessary to ensure that the child breathes only through the nose, otherwise the device will show an underestimated result.

Algorithm for measuring temperature in children:

place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue, to the left or right of the frenulum
hold for three minutes or until signal

Normal temperature when measured in the mouth is 36.3 °C - 37.3 °C.

Recommended age of use:

for pacifiers - from 3 to 12 months and older;
for conventional digital thermometers - older than 4 years.

Infrared thermometer

The non-contact infrared thermometer provides the most accurate results. It accurately determines the temperature in seconds from the heat emitted from the surface of the human body. The only downside is they are quite expensive.

The algorithm for using an infrared forehead thermometer is very simple:

should be directed to the frontal area from a distance of 3-4 cm
press the measurement button
the result appears on the screen in a matter of seconds

An infrared ear thermometer measures temperature more accurately, as it receives heat radiation from an area close to the hypothalamus (the body's thermoregulation center).

The recommended age of use is after 12 months.

Normal temperature when measured in the auricle is 35.8°C - 37.8°C.

How to take the temperature of a newborn baby

When an infectious process occurs, our body begins to fight it on its own even before taking medication. In order to defeat the infection, the immune system has to start many chemical processes, as a result of which antibodies are formed that prevent the reproduction of viruses or bacteria, and this requires an increased temperature in the body. How do you know that the baby is sick and has a fever, because he still does not know how to speak? Nowadays, you can measure the body temperature of a newborn baby in different ways and with the help of various thermometers.

Contents

Up to 6 months, it is desirable to measure the temperature of the baby every day (of course, this is ideal, and no one will measure the temperature every day, but still you should know this), since the immunity of the babies has not yet been strengthened, and the thermoregulation system was not fully formed. For this reason, a child up to six months easily overheats during active play or crying, and supercools during drafts.

The normal temperature for newborns is between 36.3 and 37.3 ºC. If the baby has a temperature of 37 ºC for a long time, but there are no signs of diseases, while the child sleeps peacefully and eats normally, then there is no need to worry. In a few months, his thermoregulatory processes will work properly, and his body temperature will be normal for everyone. (We read the article: Normal body temperature of an infant)

If the baby has a low temperature of up to 35 ºC, the reason for this may be previously taken antipyretic drugs. If you have recently given such medicines to a child, the low temperature may persist for some time after that.

Types of thermometers (thermometers)

1. Mercury thermometer

The most conservative and accurate way to measure a baby's temperature is a mercury thermometer. Its main advantage is accuracy, the measurement error is 0. 1 degrees. Although, there are a few drawbacks:

Firstly, the measurement time (7 minutes in the armpit and 5 minutes in the rectum) is too long for a restless toddler;
Secondly, this thermometer is not safe, as it contains mercury and is fragile, that is, it requires very careful handling, which is annoying when measuring temperature in a baby.

2. Electronic

A more modern and convenient means of measuring temperature. It allows you to safely measure the temperature of a baby in any way: in the mouth, armpit and rectally, but in the armpit it gives less accurate readings. Very comfortable to use:

Measurement duration approx. 3 minutes;
Signal at the end of the measurement;
thermometer dummy
Available as a pacifier. The measurement time is up to 4 minutes. Suitable only for children who take a pacifier, respectively, will serve you only as long as the baby uses the pacifier. Read in detail: what is a thermometer nipple and is it worth buying for newborns?

An electronic thermometer has a greater measurement error than a mercury one - up to 1 degree. In addition, it periodically needs to change the battery.

3. Infrared

Recent invention, non-contact and ear. The first instantly measures the temperature when it is brought to the skin. It does not differ in high accuracy, but it is convenient for monitoring the temperature in dynamics or for determining the temperature of the milk mixture.

It is very convenient to measure the temperature of a baby with an ear thermometer: in 5 seconds, while the baby is sleeping. The disadvantage of these thermometers is one - this is a high price.

Infrared non-contact thermometer Infrared ear thermometer

4. Disposable

These are strips to be applied to the skin or placed under the tongue. Measurement time - 60 seconds. It does not have high accuracy, but it can be convenient on the road.

Disposable thermometer

How to take the temperature correctly

In the armpit

If the child can already sit, then sit him on your lap with the back of his head to you. Place the thermometer under the armpit and hold the baby's hand until the end of the measurement.
Lay the child who is not yet sitting on the back, raise his arm, firmly place the tip of the thermometer under the armpit, lower the arm and wait for the signal or hold for 7 minutes.

Rectally (in the rectum)

Lay the baby on his back, take his ankles with one hand and lift him up, slightly bending at the knees. Apply baby cream or petroleum jelly to the end of the thermometer. Gently insert the thermometer 2 cm into the rectum. Once you have taken the measurement, slowly remove the thermometer. The thermometer must be disinfected after each use.

In the ear

Take the ear thermometer, pull the earlobe back and slightly up. Place the thermometer probe into the straightened ear canal. After measuring, carefully remove the thermometer, also pulling the child's earlobe.

In a small child, the temperature can only be measured orally with a pacifier thermometer. It is not recommended to do this with other thermometers, but it is unlikely to succeed.

WARNING! It is only necessary to measure the temperature of a small child when he is at rest. If before that the baby was actively moving, you swaddled him or he cried, then you need to wait a while, and then take a measurement.

If you measure the temperature of a baby during feeding, then keep in mind that this will slightly increase.

It is important to remember that body temperature tends to rise in the evening. Therefore, if the morning temperature of the crumbs was normal, but you still suspect that the baby is sick, then be sure to continue to measure it during the day and evening.

Normal temperature readings

Armpit: 36.3 - 37.3 ºC.
Mouth: 37.1ºC.
In the rectum: 37.6 - 38 ºC.

Remember that elevated body temperature is a protective natural response to illness.

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