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How To Take Your Child's Temperature
When your child does not feel well, taking their temperature can help you decide how to best care for them. To take your child's temperature, first consider their age to decide what thermometer to use.
Children of any age may use a forehead (temporal artery) thermometer:
• Forehead thermometers measure the body temperature through a blood vessel on the forehead.
• If your child has been in the sun or cold, this may not be an accurate way to measure. Try again after they have been in a temperature-controlled environment and out of the sun for at least 15 minutes.
• Remove any hats, headbands, or glasses.
• Wipe away hair or sweat as these may incorrectly lower the reading.
• Follow the instructions for the device -"non-contact thermometers" are held 1-2 inches from the forehead and "temporal thermometers" are placed on the forehead between the eyebrows.
For babies under 3 months of age, a rectal temperature with a digital thermometer is considered by many doctors to be the most accurate:
• Place a small amount of lubricating petroleum jelly on the thermometer and the child's rectum.
• Place the child on their side with their knees to their chest, or laying flat on their belly on a flat surface.
• Gently slide the the thermometer 1/2 an inch into the rectum. Leave it in place until it beeps, then remove it and check the temperature.
• If there is resistance, stop and remove the thermometer immediately.
• Label the thermometer that you are using to take a rectal temperature so that you do not accidentally put it in a person's mouth.
• Wash the thermometer with soap and water after each use.
For babies over 3 months of age, an armpit (axillary) temperature with a digital thermometer may be used:
• Place the thermometer between the child’s arm and their chest.
• Be sure there is no clothing between the thermometer and the skin.
• Leave the thermometer in place until it beeps, then remove it from under the child’s arm and check the temperature.
For babies over 6 months of age, you may also use an ear (tympanic) thermometer:
• Ear thermometers work quickly – most in only a second.
• Point the thermometer towards the eardrum to get the most accurate reading.
• If your child has lots of ear wax, the reading may be off – choose a different method instead.
• If a child has very small ear canals, this method may not work well.
For children over 4 years of age, you can use a mouth (oral) digital thermometer:
• Place the thermometer under the child’s tongue.
• Have the child close their lips around the thermometer without biting down.
• Leave the thermometer in place until it beeps, then remove it from the mouth and check the temperature.
A fever is a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Fevers tell you that the body is fighting off an illness.
When to seek emergency care:
• If your child is under 2 months of age and has a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• If a child of any age has a persistent fever over 104 degrees Fahrenheit
• If your child has a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and is immunocompromised
• If your child looks very sick or is difficult to wake
If you are not sure what to do when your child has a fever, ask your pediatrician!