Normal newborn temperature celsius

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:

BSIP SA / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-temperature-newborn-baby-49307905.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=94A02E88-088A-403B-B54A-C19B0B0991C6&p=163953&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dCT64MH%26qt_raw%3dCT64MH%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d788068%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

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

Fever (0-12 Months)

Is this your child's symptom?

An abnormal high body temperature
Fever is the only symptom. Your child has a true fever if:
Rectal (bottom), Ear or Forehead 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
Caution: Forehead temperatures must be digital. Forehead strips are not accurate.

Causes of Fever

Overview. Almost all fevers are caused by a new infection. Viruses cause 10 times more infections than bacteria. The number of germs that cause an infection are in the hundreds. Only a few common ones will be listed.
Viral Infections. Colds, flu and other viral infections are the most common cause. Fever may be the only symptom for the first 24 hours. The start of viral symptoms (runny nose, cough, loose stools) is often delayed. Roseola is the most extreme example. Fever may be the only symptom for 3 to 5 days. Then a rash appears.
Bacterial Infections. A bladder infection is the most common cause of silent fever in girls.
Vaccine Fever. Fever with most vaccines begins within 12 hours. It lasts 2 to 3 days. This is normal and harmless. It means the vaccine is working.
Newborn Fever (Serious). Fever that occurs during the first 3 months of life can be serious. All of these babies need to be seen as soon as possible. The fever may be due to sepsis (a bloodstream infection). Bacterial infections in this age group can get worse quickly. They need rapid treatment.
Meningitis (Very Serious). A bacterial infection of the membrane that covers the spinal cord and brain. The main symptoms are a stiff neck, headache and confusion. Younger children are lethargic or so irritable that they can't be consoled. If not treated early, can suffer brain damage.
Overheated. The fever is usually low grade. Can occur during heat waves or from being overdressed. The temp becomes normal in a few hours after moving to a cooler place. Fever goes away quickly with rest and drinking extra fluids.
Not Due to Teething. Research shows that "getting teeth" does not cause fevers.

Fever and Crying

Fever on its own shouldn't cause much crying.
Frequent crying in a child with fever is caused by pain until proven otherwise.
Hidden causes can be ear infections, kidney infections, sore throats and meningitis.

Normal Temperature Range

Rectal. A reading of 98. 6° F (37° C) is just the average rectal temp. A normal low can be 96.8° F (36° C) in the morning. It can change to a high of 100.3° F (37.9° C) late in the day. This is a normal range.

When to Call for Fever (0-12 Months)

Call 911 Now

Not moving
Can't wake up
Severe trouble breathing (struggling for each breath; can barely speak or cry)
Purple or blood-colored spots or dots on skin
You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

Trouble breathing, but not severe
Great trouble swallowing fluids or spit
Fever in baby less than 12 weeks old. Caution: Do NOT give your baby any fever medicine before being seen.
Fever over 104° F (40° C)
Shaking chills (shivering) lasting more than 30 minutes
Nonstop crying or cries when touched or moved
Won't move an arm or leg normally
Dehydration suspected. No urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears.
Weak immune system. Examples are sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids.
Your child looks or acts very sick
You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

Age 3-6 months old with fever
Age 6-12 months old with fever that lasts more than 24 hours. There are no other symptoms (such as cough or diarrhea).
Fever lasts more than 3 days
Fever returns after gone for more than 24 hours
You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

Fever with no other symptoms and your child acts mildly ill

Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations

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

Bellevue
Everett
Federal Way
Seattle

Care Advice for Fever

What You Should Know About Fever:
- Having a fever means your child has a new infection.
- It's most likely caused by a virus.
- You may not know the cause of the fever until other symptoms develop. This may take 24 hours.
- For infants more than 3 months old, most fevers are good for sick children. They help the body fight infection.
- Use the ranges below to help put your child's level of fever into perspective:
- 100° - 102° F (37.8° - 39° C) Low grade fever: helpful, good range. Don't treat.
- 102° - 104° F (39 - 40° C) Average fever: helpful. Treat if causes discomfort.
- Over 104° F (40° C) High fever: causes discomfort, but harmless. Always treat.
- Over 106° F (41.1° C) Very high fever: important to bring it down. Rare to go this high.
- Over 108° F (42.3° C) Dangerous fever: fever itself can be harmful.
Treatment for All Fevers - Extra Fluids:
- Fluids alone can lower the fever. Reason: being well hydrated helps the body give off heat through the skin.
- For shivering (or the chills), give your child a blanket. Make them comfortable.
- Offer your child extra water or other fluids by mouth. Cold fluids are better. Until 6 months old, only give extra formula or breastmilk.
- For all children, dress in 1 layer of light weight clothing, unless shivering. Reason: also helps heat loss from the skin.
- For shivering (or the chills), give your child a blanket. Make them comfortable.
- Caution: if a baby under 1 year has a fever, never overdress or bundle up. Reason: Babies can get over-heated more easily than older children.
Fever Medicine:
- Caution: Do not give a baby under 3 months any fever medicine. Most of these babies will need to be seen.
- For fevers 100°-102° F (37.8° - 39°C), fever meds are not needed. Reason: fevers in this range help the body fight the infection. Fevers turn on the body's imune system. Fevers don't cause any discomfort.
Give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil) if over 6 months old.
Goal of treatment: keep the fever at a helpful level. Most often, the fever meds lower the fever by 2° to 3° F (1 - 1.5° C). They do not bring it down to normal. It takes 1 or 2 hours to see the effect.
Do not use aspirin. Reason: Risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious brain disease.
Do not use both acetaminophen and ibuprofen together. Reason: Not needed and a risk of giving too much.
Pain: fever does not cause pain. If your child also has pain, it's from the infection. It may be a sore throat or muscle pain. Treat the pain, if it's more than mild.
Return to Child Care:
- Your child can return to child care after the fever is gone. Your child should feel well enough to join in normal activities.
What to Expect:
- Most fevers with viral illnesses range between 101° and 104° F (38.4° and 40° C).
- They may last for 2 or 3 days.
- They are not harmful.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Your child looks or acts very sick
- Any serious symptoms occur such as trouble breathing
- Fever goes above 104° F (40° C)
- Any fever occurs if less than 12 weeks old
- Fever without other symptoms lasts more than 24 hours
- Fever lasts more than 3 days (72 hours)
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 12/09/2022

Last Revised: 09/18/2022

What body temperature can be considered normal > Rubric Medicine in Samara

During the cold and flu season, many are concerned about changes in body temperature.

This is an unstable value that can increase or decrease insignificantly during the day, not only because of illness. Doctors told what temperature can be considered normal and what fluctuations will not harm health.

According to the standard

It is a well-known truth that normal body temperature is 36.6 degrees Celsius. However, modern medicine has proven that each person has his own norm, it can stay in the range from 35.9up to 37.2°C.

The personal indicator is formed approximately by the age of 14 in girls and by 20 in young people. It is influenced by many factors. The temperature depends on gender, race, age. Men are on average half a degree "colder". In addition, during the day the temperature of any, even an absolutely healthy person, fluctuates.

Minor changes in one direction or another are not considered pathological. This was told by the therapist Olga Volkova.

- It should be taken into account that during the day the body temperature of a healthy person fluctuates within one degree, - the doctor says. - The fluctuations are greatly influenced by climatic conditions, human well-being. In people of different ages, the upper limit of normal temperature is different.

Warning sign - significant deviations from the norm. In some people, during illness, the temperature rises significantly, while in others it even decreases. The degree falls due to overwork, with exacerbation of chronic diseases, adrenal disease, hypothyroidism - a decrease in the activity of the thyroid gland.

- A low temperature is no less dangerous than an elevated one, as the body becomes more vulnerable, Volkova specified. - Although there are exceptional cases when a body temperature below 35 is the norm for a person.

According to her, it is recommended to bring down body temperature only when it exceeds 38.5 degrees. Before that, you should not take antipyretics. Perhaps at this time the body is actively and successfully fighting the infection. However, in any case, with a serious temperature jump, you should consult a doctor in order to find out the cause of the failure and fix the problem.

Normal body temperature is considered to be:

in newborn babies - 36.8°C;
in six-month-old babies - 37.5;
in one-year-old children - 37.5;
in three-year-olds - 37.5;
in six-year-olds - 37.0;
in people of reproductive age - 36.8;
in the elderly - 36.3°C.[/box]

Irina Kopylova, THERAPIST:

— The body temperature of an adult fluctuates during the day, remaining in the range of 35.5 - 37.2 degrees. The norm of temperature depends on the place of its measurement. For example, in the armpit - 36.6, in the mouth - 37, in the ear - 37.5. The lowest temperature is observed in the early morning hours, and the maximum in the evening. Common causes of exceeding the norm are inflammatory processes caused by viruses and bacteria. In such cases, body temperature to 38.5 degrees is not recommended to be reduced.

Irina Baranova, DOCTOR OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE AND BIOHAKER:

- It is customary to focus on the norm of 36. 6 - 36.7 degrees when measured with a mercury thermometer in the armpit. There are, of course, individual cases when a person constantly has a slightly higher or lower temperature, but they are extremely rare. The rise can indicate both the onset of an inflammatory or infectious process, as well as stress or banal overheating. There are many reasons. If you calmly endure the high temperature and you don’t have new symptoms against its background, then it’s better not to bring down, but to let the immune system work on its own. But be sure to track the dynamics. Too high a temperature can harm cells and tissues.

Cover photo: pixabay.com

Tell your friends

Newborn room temperature

Most diseases are provoked by improper environmental conditions. Therefore, the creation of optimal climatic conditions in the nursery is the most important preventive decision. Consider the individual components, such as temperature and humidity.

Hot or cold

Some experts recommend keeping newborns cold ( 18-19 °) and claim that babies are so comfortable. Others give recommendations ( 22-24 °) exactly the opposite. In fact, both of them have a lot of arguments in favor of their opinion and it is not clear who to listen to. The saddest thing is that at this age it is impossible to clarify comfortable conditions for a child. It is for this reason that I decided to analyze the various opinions and find the best solution.

Newborn room temperature | Choosing clothes depending on the room temperature

Added 05/2017

An excerpt from a translation of advice for parents on caring for babies published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (publication dated 2015):

At cool temperatures (below 23.88 degrees Celsius): the child needs several layers of clothing to keep warm. As a general rule, it is best to dress your baby in a vest and diaper, put on a jumpsuit/pyjamas on top, and then wrap him in a blanket. You can also use a special sleeping bag as a blanket.
In hot temperatures (above 23.88 degrees Celsius): You can reduce the amount of clothing by one layer. It is also recommended to use the rule: dress the child one layer warmer than yourself.

Source here (eng).

From this publication we can conclude that official medicine considers the optimal temperature for a child from 1 to 3 years old, who is at home in single-layer clothing - 23.88 degrees Celsius.

Newborn room temperature | The arguments of the supporters of the COOL mode

According to many experts, the likelihood of getting sick in the heat is much higher than in moderate temperatures or even cold. In this regard, many modern experts recommend 18-20°C for the permanent stay of children. They argue their position by the fact that heat is a favorable environment for the development of viruses. At the same time, when overheated, the body directs all resources to cooling. Thus, while the body is busy with thermoregulation, viruses have every chance to grow to the scale of the disease. The arguments are quite convincing, but I want to ask the question “Why do people get sick less in summer?” 😀 .

Recently, the recommendations of the well-known Doctor Komarovsky, who recommends maintaining 18-19 ° in the nursery for newborns, have become increasingly popular. At the same time, he emphasizes that 18-19 ° is comfortable air for breathing, but not for a child to be without clothes. It remains a mystery how, with such a coolness in the nursery, to carry out countless changes of clothes for the baby, as well as rest “with a bare booty” from the diaper. In my opinion, this recommendation is out of date.

The pioneer in recommending low temperatures for children was I.A. Arshavsky. In his writings, he developed the theory of using the adaptive mechanisms of newborns in order to strengthen immunity by early hardening methods. In fact, how much hardening is necessary for a newborn is a moot point, therefore, before considering its expediency, I propose to study the opinions of supporters of a comfortable temperature regime.

Newborn room temperature | Arguments of supporters of COMFORTABLE temperature regime

In my opinion, babies of the first year of life, especially newborns, should minimize stress (there are already enough of them), including from cold and heat. My opinion about comfortable conditions is shared by many neonatologists and pediatricians:

Opinion of Sviridova Larisa - mother-pediatrician about the temperature regime of the baby:

“If we talk about what should be the optimal temperature in the room for a newborn, I’ll immediately note: I am against maintaining the temperature regime so insistently recommended by some experts at + 18 ° C. Why? Yes, because babies come to our world from the dark enclosed space of the uterus with a temperature of + 36.6 ° C. In the first month of life, babies love heat very much!

... Returning to the question of the temperature in the room for the newborn, I will say that the child is comfortable with such a temperature at which his parents can easily walk in a T-shirt and shorts. If the apartment is very hot, then the baby can be left simply in a vest and a light diaper. But at room temperature + 23 ° C - + 24 ° C, you already need to put on a cap for the baby, put it in a pillow and cover it with a blanket. Don't be afraid you won't notice if it overheats. Overheating gives symptoms very quickly and is easily detected by sweating. Hypothermia is harder to notice."

According to the neonatologist Komar E.A. the optimal temperature for a newborn in the room is 23-24 ° C.
According to the doctor of the highest category, pediatrician Larisa Anikeeva, which is set out in her book "Pediatrics: a complete guide for parents", the temperature in the nursery should be maintained at 21-24 ° C.

In the second volume of the textbook on neonatology by N.P.Shabalov, recommended as a textbook for universities, you can find the following words about the optimal conditions for examining newborns:

“. .. The optimum temperature in the room is 24-26 ° C, the changing table should be warmed up. Do not use reflectors with an open heating coil, it is best to use a radiant heat source. These measures make it possible to reduce the energy costs of a newborn by 5 times (from 100 to 20 calories per 1 kg of mass per minute) "

The last excerpt says that if the temperature in the room is not chosen correctly, the thermoregulation of the newborn takes a lot of resources.

Following popular trends, you can set the temperature in the nursery around 18-20 and revel in your progressiveness. But I am conservative and I think that comfortable conditions should be created for the baby, which is what I did:

the average temperature in our apartment was about 23-24°C;
clothes from birth: thin blouse + flannel diaper;
clothes from 5 months: thin t-shirts + panties/shorts.

For the spartans who like to argue about how good their babies are in the cold, I explain that all this applies to inactive babies in the first year of life. And during the time when the baby begins to crawl, do not forget that the temperature on the floor is lower by an average of 2 degrees.

Humidity

For the proper functioning of mucous membranes, a person requires a certain level of humidity. With insufficient moisture levels, the nasal mucosa will not be able to protect against infection. Manufacturers of air humidifiers tried to convey this information to the majority, but few people thought that high humidity is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, the relative humidity in the apartment should be in the range of 30 - 50% and it is also not worth increasing above this level.

In the middle latitudes during the warm seasons, when the central heating is turned off, the humidity level is close to normal. Due to the operation of the elements of the heating system in the cold season, the humidity in the apartments is reduced. To determine the level of humidity, it is not at all necessary to have special devices - just pay attention to the sensations in your nose. If dry crusts form in the nose, then the room where you arrive most of the day is not humid enough.

To increase the humidity level, purchase a humidifier, use a houseplant sprayer, or place containers filled with water near heat sources.

Drafts

Everyone knows that drafts lead to colds much more often than cold and most mothers are terribly afraid of them. With drafts, as with many other things, the main thing is to understand the essence of what is happening and not lose control.

To understand the essence, I will cite the comments of the doctors of the Discussion Club of the Russian Medical Server on the topic of drafts and temperature conditions:

Question : “How justified are the fears of drafts, cold floors and cold as such, and is it possible to catch a cold without the participation of viruses and bacteria?”

Candidate of Biological Sciences answer: “ Temperature fluctuations are a stress factor for the organism . If the body is under stress, it is more sensitive to adverse effects. In particular, such an organism becomes more “easy prey” for viruses and microorganisms.

Each person has his own temperature threshold, which will already be stressful. But in principle, the body can be trained so that sufficiently low temperatures will not be stressful.
It is not necessary to resort to such extremes as swimming in an ice hole or dousing with cold water. It is enough not to overheat your body unnecessarily.
If the temperature in the apartment is about 20 degrees, the child may well walk in shorts and a T-shirt (or even without).»

Question: Are drafts and strong cold winds dangerous in terms of the possibility of catching bronchitis or pneumonia. A small child crawls and plays on the floor - the floor is cold (we live outside the city in a private house without a basement, that is, there is earth under the floor), the thermometer on the floor shows somewhere around 18-19degrees. Can being on such a floor cause pyelonephritis, boils, etc. ?

Pediatrician's answer: Bronchitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, and boils... are caused by very real pathogens - bacteria and viruses, and not by some mysterious miasma, as was commonly believed in the Middle Ages.
Any stressful situation (hypothermia is also a stressful situation) makes the immune system fight, first of all, with stress, and, only, secondly, with pathogens. i.e. stress is a factor provoking the development of the disease .

Question: “Is it necessary to understand that a person (including a child) who has a cold due to hypothermia can infect another? The question is not idle - not so long ago, a whole battle broke out in our country: the child is 2 months old, and his cold relatives were eager to see him, arguing that their cold is not “contagious” , but only the result of hypothermia. «

PhD answer: « A disease is always caused by a virus or microorganism. More often, a “cold” means a viral disease. «

So, the following conclusions can be drawn about drafts, temperature changes and SARS:

The cause of ARVI is not hypothermia, but viruses;
There is no noncontagious cold (ARVI);
A stressful situation creates favorable conditions in the body for the development and reproduction of viruses;
Drafts - are stressful for the body and therefore provoke SARS;
In order for drafts not to cause disease, it is necessary to adapt to them - to harden yourself!

Having considered the topic of optimal environmental conditions for babies, we can highlight the basic rules: