When Taking a Baby's Temperature Under the Arm
Fever and temperature taking
When your child is sick with an infection (bacterial or viral), information technology is mutual to as well accept a fever. Fever will not hurt your child. Usually, it goes away after 72 hours (3 days).
Babies younger than half dozen months old should see a doctor when they have a fever. Older children can be treated at home, as long as they get plenty liquids and seem well otherwise. However, they should encounter a doctor if their fever lasts for more than 72 hours.
There are several ways to take your child's temperature:
- rectal method (by the rectum or 'bum')
- oral method (past the mouth)
- axillary method (under the armpit)
- temporal avenue method (forehead)
- tympanic method (in the ear)
Which method should I employ?
The right method depends on your kid'due south age. It'south important that the measurement is accurate. Employ this nautical chart to help you determine which method to use:
| Age | Recommended method |
|---|---|
| Nascence to ii years | 1st choice: Rectum (for an accurate reading) 2nd choice: Armpit |
| Between 2 and 5 years | 1st choice: Rectum (for an accurate reading) 2nd pick: Ear, armpit |
| Older than 5 years | 1st option: Oral fissure (for an accurate reading) 2nd choice: Ear, armpit |
Temperature-taking tips
- Exercise not utilize a mercury thermometer. If it breaks, you might be exposed to the toxic substance.
- Do non use an oral thermometer to take a rectal temperature, or a rectal thermometer for oral temperature taking.
- A digital thermometer can be used for both rectal and oral temperature taking. Information technology's made of unbreakable plastic, is easy to read and measures temperature quickly.
- Products for taking temporal artery temperature (sweeping thermometer beyond your child's forehead) at home are non authentic or reliable enough.
- Fever strips are not recommended because they practice not give accurate readings.
To get an authentic reading of your child'southward temperature, you'll need to make sure it'southward washed right. Here'due south how:
Rectum
This is the most reliable way to ensure a fever is not missed.
- Make clean the thermometer with cool, soapy water and rinse.
- Comprehend the silver tip with petroleum jelly (such every bit Vaseline).
- Place your baby on their back with their knees aptitude.
- Gently insert the thermometer in the rectum, about 2.5 cm (one inch), holding it in place with your fingers.
- After nearly one minute, you will hear the beep.
- Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.
- Clean the thermometer.
Mouth
The oral method is not recommended for children younger than five years old because information technology is hard for them to hold the thermometer under their tongue for long enough.
- Clean the thermometer with absurd, soapy water and rinse.
- Carefully identify the tip of the thermometer nether your child'due south natural language.
- With your child'southward mouth airtight, get out the thermometer in place for almost one infinitesimal, until y'all hear the beep.
- Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.
- Clean the thermometer.
Armpit
The armpit (axillary) method is usually used to check for fever in newborns and young children, but it's not as authentic as a rectal temperature. If an axillary temperature does not show a fever only your child feels warm and seems unwell, accept a rectal measurement.
- Employ a rectal or oral thermometer.
- Make clean the thermometer with cool, soapy h2o and rinse.
- Identify the tip of the thermometer in the centre of your child'due south armpit.
- Make sure your child's arm is tucked snugly against their body.
- Get out the thermometer in place for about 1 minute, until you hear the "beep."
- Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.
- Make clean the thermometer.
Ear
Though quick to employ, the ear (tympanic) method can give temperature readings that are likewise depression, fifty-fifty when the manufacturer'south directions are followed. It is not equally reliable or accurate as rectal temperature taking.
- Use a make clean probe tip each fourth dimension, and follow the manufacturer'southward instructions carefully.
- Gently tug on the ear, pulling it back. This will help straighten the ear canal, and make a articulate path inside the ear to the eardrum.
- Gently insert the thermometer until the ear culvert is fully sealed off.
- Clasp and hold down the button for ane 2nd.
- Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.
What is a normal temperature?
The post-obit chart will tell you if your child has a fever. The normal temperature range varies and depends on the way you took your child'southward temperature.
| Method | Normal temperature range |
|---|---|
| Rectum | 36.6°C to 38°C (97.9°F to 100.4°F) |
| Oral cavity | 35.v°C to 37.5°C (95.ix°F to 99.5°F) |
| Armpit | 36.5°C to 37.5°C (97.8°F to 99.5°F) |
| Ear | 35.8°C to 38°C (96.4°F to 100.4°F) |
The degree (height) of a fever does not tell you lot how serious your kid's affliction is—how your child is acting is commonly a improve sign. A kid with a mild infection tin accept a high fever, while a child with a severe infection might have no fever at all.
What can I practise if my child has a fever?
Go along your child comfortable, and offer plenty of fluids.
If your infant has a fever, remove extra blankets and wearable and then heat can get out their body and help lower the body temperature. Just don't take off all your kid's clothes, because they may get too common cold and start shivering, which makes more body oestrus and will crusade their temperature to rise again.
Sponging your child with lukewarm water, alcohol baths and rubs is not recommended.
Medication is non always needed to reduce a child's temperature. In fact, the all-time reason for giving your child medicine is not to reduce the fever, but to relieve any aches and pains.
Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol, Tempra, Panadol and others) is a suitable medication for a fever. Unless your doc says otherwise, you tin give the dose recommended on the packet every 4 hours until your child's temperature comes downwards. The temperature usually comes down in ane hour and so rises once more. If this happens, the medication may have to exist repeated at the recommended time.Do not give more than five doses in 24 hours.
Alternatively, you can give your child ibuprofen, which is found in products such as Advil and Motrin. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. Ibuprofen can exist given every 6 to 8 hours — upward to 4 times in a 24-hour period.Do non exceed the recommended dose.
- Ibuprofen should only be given if your child is drinking reasonably well.
- Do not give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months without first talking to your dr..
Do non alternate between using acetaminophen and ibuprofen as this can lead to dosing errors.
A kid or teenager with a fever should not be given aspirin [acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)]. If the fever is due to chickenpox, influenza or sure other viral infections, taking aspirin tin can increment the take a chance of Reye'due south syndrome. This is a very serious condition that can harm the liver and brain.
Contact your health care provider if your child:
- Has a fever and is less than half-dozen months old.
- Has a fever for more 72 hours.
- Is excessively cranky, fussy or irritable.
- Is excessively sleepy, lethargic or does not answer.
- Is persistently wheezing or cough.
- Has a fever combined with a rash or any other signs of illness that worry you.
Reviewed by the following CPS committees
- Community Paediatrics Commission
Final updated: October 2020
Source: https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/fever_and_temperature_taking
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