Temperature in infants: how to measure body temperature and fever in your baby
The temperature in infants is crucial in determining whether your baby has a fever or not.Measuring a newborn's fever, especially the first few times, can cause some concern in new parents who have never performed this kind of body temperature measurement. Which thermometer is best to proceed with? Rectal or axillary? Here are all the answers! But first, listen to our pediatrician's advice regarding fever in children:
Temperature in newborns: with what body temperature can we talk about fever?
The temperature in newborns tends to stabilize after the first week of life: before then the measurement of the baby's body temperature is likely to give very variable results, which should not cause concern in the parent.
After the first week of life, however, the newborn tends to stabilize its body temperature at 37 degrees: if you measure the temperature in children in the morning it is likely that newborns will settle at 36.8 degrees centigrade, in the evening around 37. , 2 degrees.
When, consequently, can we speak of a real fever in the first months of a newborn's life? Generally speaking, it will be a fever if the baby's body temperature between 0 and 3 months is above 38 degrees. From 3 months up, on the other hand, to talk about fever, the baby's body temperature should exceed 38 degrees and a half.
It will also be important to evaluate the presence of other variables: whether other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or cold are present in newborns, or the duration of the fever itself, which can be considered a full-fledged fever only if it lasts at least 24 hours.
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How to measure temperature (and fever) in newborns?
A mother used to being in contact with her baby a lot could notice the presence of fever thanks to physical contact alone, without any measurement: she just needs to touch the baby's skin to feel warmer than usual. Infants with a fever also tend to have redder skin and wheezing.
It goes without saying that the only way to be sure of fever in newborns is to measure the body temperature, obviously using a thermometer, the ideal instrument for this purpose. The measurement of fever in newborns using a thermometer may not be very easy to carry out. , especially in the first months of life.
You can choose whether to take a rectal or armpit measurement. The axillary temperature measurement is easier for a child, especially if already intolerant due to the state of discomfort. However, there are no universal rules and much will depend from the child's subjectivity. It will be good to choose the system that is less invasive to the child, that makes him cry and rebel less and with which he is more cooperative. Remember that the rectal temperature is always to be considered about half a degree higher than that axillary.
Classic, digital, infrared thermometer: which one to choose to measure your baby's fever?
The digital thermometer is undoubtedly the best one for measuring body temperature in newborns, and this is because in addition to being accurate, it is also fast compared to the classic mercury thermometer. The digital thermometer allows you to detect the temperature in a short time, warning with an acoustic signal when the result appears.
There are also various other types of thermometer on the market such as the ear thermometer, the infrared thermometer or the frontal thermometer, which however are less suitable for a newborn and children, in general, in their first years of life.
How to take a temperature measurement rectally to newborns?
Rectal temperature measurement in newborns is perhaps the most accurate way to detect fever, but it does require some extra attention. First of all it will be necessary to disinfect the thermometer from time to time before insertion into the baby's rectal passages, as well as lubricate it with a natural oil.
The thermometer detects the rectal temperature after a couple of minutes. If you are using the digital thermometer, just wait for the beep. For the newborn in its first months of life, it will be good to take the measurement by holding the legs, as well as when changing the diaper, while in older children it will be preferable to turn them on their stomach.
With what temperature in newborns is it good to call the pediatrician?
Fever in newborns can worry new mothers, who instead would do well to calm down: these temperature changes are often only transient and physiological and do not require the intervention of the pediatrician. Instead, it will be necessary to contact your pediatrician if the fever rises above 38 degrees in children aged between 0 and 3 months, or if the fever has lasted for more than 24 hours.
Contacting your pediatrician is also good if you are undecided about whether to administer drugs to the child or if there are other symptoms such as sore throat, cough, diarrhea, vomiting or earache.
