What is normal temperature for infant

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
Virtual Urgent Care

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: 04/06/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

How to Take a Temperature (0-12 Months)

When Does Your Baby Have a Fever??

Average body temperature is around 98.6° F (37.0° C)
A fever is an elevated body temperature with these readings:

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.

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 Touch 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.
This is the one most used in hospitals and doctors’ offices.
Place the sensor head at the center of the forehead touching the skin.
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.

Forehead No-Touch Temperature: How to Take

Age: any age
Aim the thermometer at the center of the forehead.
Stay less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) away. Do not touch the forehead.
Do not move the thermometer.
Press the measurement button.

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

Bellevue
Everett
Federal Way
Seattle
Virtual Urgent Care

Last Reviewed: 04/06/2023

Last Revised: 01/26/2023

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?

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.

If suddenly you accidentally measured the temperature of your perfectly healthy and active child, saw a figure from 37 ° C to 37.5 ° C, went to the doctor, who quite seriously diagnosed the child with “subfebrile condition” (it is this concept that is commonly called a slightly elevated temperature) - be prepared for endless tests that will show something (after all, absolutely every person has viruses and bacterial bacilli).