What is fever temperature for infants

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: 01/02/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

Fevers (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

All kids get a fever from time to time. Usually, a fever isn’t dangerous or bad for kids. It can even be a good thing because it can help the immune system fight infection.

Still, parents might be unsure about how to handle a fever at home and when to call the doctor. Here are some tips.

What Is a Fever?

In general, a fever means the body’s temperature is 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. Different ways of measuring a temperature — rectal, armpit, ear, forehead, mouth — get a slightly different number, so the number that means a child has a fever is a little different too.

What Causes Fevers?

Fevers in kids are usually caused by an infection. A fever helps the body by stimulating the immune system to fight the infection. Doctors also think the higher temperature makes it harder for the germs to grow.

A few other reasons kids can have a fever:

Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they're overdressed, wrapped in a blanket, or in a hot environment because they don't regulate their body temperature as well as older kids. But because fevers in newborns can be a sign of a serious infection, even infants who are overdressed must be checked by a doctor if they have a fever.

Immunizations: Babies and kids sometimes get a mild fever that lasts about a day after getting vaccinated.

A child who is teething might have a slight rise in body temperature, but it's probably not the cause if the temperature is higher than 100°F (37.8°C).

When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?

In most healthy kids who are acting well, a fever isn’t serious.

But a fever can be serious for:

Infants younger than 3 months: If an infant younger than 3 months has a rectal temperature of 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher, call your doctor or go to the emergency department right away.
Kids with some health conditions: If your child has an ongoing health issue, make sure you know if the doctor should be called for fever.

A fever is probably not serious if your child is 3 months or older and:

is still interested in playing
is drinking well
is alert and smiling
has a normal skin color
looks well when their temperature comes down

Don't worry too much about a child with a fever who doesn't want to eat. This is common with infections that cause fever. For kids who still drink and urinate (pee) normally, not eating as much as usual is OK.

What Are the Signs of a Fever?

Kids with a fever might:

feel warm
act differently (they might be fussy or cranky, or quieter than usual)
breathe a little faster or have a faster heart rate than normal
have a headache
have chills or sweating
have red or flushed skin

For any of these signs, take your child’s temperature to know if they really have a fever.

If your child feels warm or is acting unwell, use a digital thermometer to confirm a fever. Different ways of taking the temperature are more accurate than others at measuring the true body temperature.

The best way to take a temperature:

for kids 3 years old and younger: a rectal temperature
for kids 4 or older who can cooperate: an oral temperature (by mouth)
for any age: under the armpit (axillary) and temporal artery (forehead) are easiest but less accurate. Tympanic (in the ear) is OK for kids 6 months and older.

It's a fever when a child's temperature is at or above one of these levels:

rectal (in the bottom), tympanic (in the ear), or temporal artery (across the forehead): 100.4°F (38°C)
oral (in the mouth): 100°F (37.8°C)
axillary (under the arm): 99°F (37.2°C)

How Can I Help My Child Feel Better?

No treatment is needed if a child is still playing and drinking normally and doesn’t have pain.

Treating a fever with medicine isn't needed if a child is still playing and drinking normally and doesn’t have pain. Give medicine only when a fever causes a child discomfort or keeps them from drinking.

While kids have a fever, keep an eye on them, help them to rest, and keep offering fluids to drink. They need to drink a little extra to make up for the fluids they lose from sweating.

Home Care Measures

Medicines

If your child is uncomfortable from a fever or not drinking fluids well, you can give one of these medicines:

acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or a store brand)
or
ibuprofen (such as Advil, Motrin, or a store brand). Do not give to children under 6 months old.

Follow the package directions for how much to give and how often. If you don't know the recommended dose or your child is younger than 2 years old, call the doctor to find out what to use and how much to give.

If your child has any medical problems, check with the doctor to see which medicine to use.
Unless instructed to by a doctor, never give aspirin to a child. Such use is linked to Reye syndrome, a rare but serious illness.

Do not give any medicine for fever to infants younger than 3 months old unless instructed to by a doctor.

Staying Comfortable

If your child has a fever:

Have them wear lightweight clothing and stay covered with a light sheet or blanket. Heavy clothes and blankets can keep the body from cooling, which can make your child uncomfortable.
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature — not too hot or too cold.
Make sure they get plenty of rest. Staying in bed all day isn't necessary, but a sick child should take it easy.
They should stay home from school or childcare until their temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

Lukewarm sponge baths to lower a fever generally are not recommended. In fact, sponge baths can make kids uncomfortable from shivering. Never use rubbing alcohol (it can cause poisoning when absorbed through the skin) or ice packs/cold baths (they can cause chills that can raise body temperature).

Food and Drinks

Offer plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration because fevers make kids lose fluids faster than usual. Oral rehydration solutions (like Pedialyle, Enfalyte, or store brands) are a good choice. You also can give water, soup, ice pops, and flavored gelatin. Avoid drinks with caffeine, including colas and tea, which can make dehydration worse by making kids pee more often.

Let kids eat what they want (in reasonable amounts), but don't force it if they don't feel like eating much.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

The temperature that should trigger a call to the doctor depends on a child's age, the illness, and whether they have other symptoms. You might ask if your doctor has specific guidelines on when to call about a fever.

In general, call the doctor if your child is:

younger than 3 months old with a rectal temperature of 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher
3 months or older with a temperature higher than 102.2°F (39°C)
any age but has a health problem like cancer or sickle cell disease and has a fever

Also call if a child 3 months or older has a fever and:

refuses fluids or seems too ill to drink enough
has lasting diarrhea or repeated vomiting
has any signs of dehydration (peeing less than usual, not having tears when crying, less alert and less active than usual)
has a specific complaint (like a sore throat or earache)
still has a fever after 2–3 days
has a rash
has pain while peeing

Get emergency care if your child shows any of these signs:

crying that won't stop
extreme irritability or fussiness
sluggishness and trouble waking up
a rash or purple spots that look like bruises on the skin (that were not there before your child got sick)
blue lips, tongue, or nails
in an infant, the soft spot on the head seems to be bulging out or sunken in
stiff neck
severe headache
limpness or refusal to move
trouble breathing that doesn't get better when the nose is cleared
leaning forward and drooling
seizure
moderate to severe belly pain

What Else Should I Know?

All kids get fevers, and in most cases they're back to normal within a few days. For older babies and kids, the way they act can be more important than the reading on your thermometer. Everyone gets a little cranky when they have a fever. This is normal and should be expected.

But if you're ever in doubt about what to do or what a fever might mean, or if your child is acting ill in a way that concerns you even with no fever, always call your doctor for advice.

Reviewed by: Melanie L. Pitone, MD

Date reviewed: November 2022

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 nine0005

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. nine0005

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: indoor air temperature, 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. nine0005

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. nine0005

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 old, 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. nine0005

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. nine0005

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

nine0095 35.1 - 36.8

	0-2 years	3-10 years	11-18 years old
In the armpit	34.7 - 37.2	35.8 - 36.6
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

Child's temperature: what to do

Any, even a very slight increase in temperature in the baby often frightens young parents, and in a state of panic people tend to accept rash decisions, the consequences of which can harm health child. Our article will help you understand in what situations you can get by with a pediatrician in a clinic, and in which you really need take emergency measures, and what you can do yourself before consulting with doctor to help the baby.

How to measure temperature? nine0009

When fever is suspected, it is important to take the temperature correctly in the first place.

Traditional axillary measurement is not considered the most reliable, but safer for newborns than anus or ear measurement. Babies under two years old are recommended to measure the temperature rectally, and if this is not possible, then in the mouth, inguinal fold or armpit. To measure the temperature in infants in the mouth, electronic thermometers or special pacifier thermometers are used. nine0005

Ear temperature accuracy is generally good for adults and older children, but not good for toddlers under two years of age. Standard ear thermometers tend to be too big for their small ears and therefore may not be accurate.

Breast temperature: normal

With different methods of measuring temperature, the norm will be different:

in the armpit - from 34.7°C to 37.3°C;
rectal - 36.6°C to 38°C; nine0018
in the ear - 35.8°C to 38°C;
mouth - 35.5°C to 37.5°C

At overheating, in a room that is too hot, in the sun, in an excessively warm clothes, the temperature of the baby may even be slightly (by 0.1–0.3 degrees) above, and this difference will not be considered a deviation from the norm. Such cases, it is enough to undress the child or move him to a cool room for the temperature to return to normal.

When you need to urgently call an ambulance:

If a child under 3 months of age has a fever above 38°C
If fever is accompanied by severe vomiting, convulsions, fainting, loss of balance and other neurological symptoms.
If you observe these symptoms without fever, you still need to call an ambulance.
If the child has had a previous febrile seizure.
If the baby has difficulty breathing, blue skin and/or barking cough. Again, in this situation, you need to call an ambulance and in the absence of temperature. nine0018
If the baby has diagnosed diseases of the nervous or cardiovascular system.

When to call the district "ambulance":

If a child aged 3 to 6 months the temperature rose above 38.5°C.
If a child aged 6 months or more up to 1 year the temperature rose above 39.5°C.
If the temperature is above 38.5°C in a child under one year old, it lasts longer than three days.
If fever is accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, rash, diarrhea, constant crying, sudden drowsiness. nine0018
If the child is not able to drink water, the child's eyes or fontanelle become sunken and other signs of dehydration are observed.
If a child's feet and hands become cold at high temperature, a "marble" pattern appears on the skin.

In other cases, it is usually enough to make an appointment and go with the child to the pediatrician over the next few days, but you still should not completely refuse to consult a doctor.

Is it possible to cope with the temperature in the baby on their own? nine0009

It is extremely undesirable to engage in self-diagnosis and self-treatment, especially when it comes to small children. If the body temperature is above 38°C in a child, it is imperative to consult a pediatrician. The doctor will diagnose the baby, and, if necessary, prescribe medication.

But there are a few things you can do to help lower your temperature and make your baby feel better while you wait for your pediatrician or emergency room visit.

Drinking plenty of water

Place your baby on the breast as often as possible and let him suckle as much as he wants. Give your baby plenty of water between feedings. If you have already introduced complementary foods, and the child refuses to breastfeed or drink water, offer him other drinks according to age - baby milk, compotes, baby juices or sour milk drinks. It is very important that the child drinks enough.

Room temperature reduction

Ideally, the temperature in the room where the baby sleeps should be no more than 20-23°C. You should ventilate the room more often to provide the baby with access to fresh air.

Warm water rubdown

Try wiping your baby with a cloth soaked in water at room temperature. After wiping, you can not wrap the child, because. the opposite effect may develop.

Hand and foot warmer

If your baby's hands and feet get cold at a high temperature, try to warm them up to improve blood circulation: first rub until reddened, and then put on warm woolen socks and mittens. If it is not possible to warm the limbs, call an ambulance. nine0005