Temperature is a crucial indicator for a child’s health. An elevated body temperature signals inflammatory processes, diseases and is a reason to see a doctor. Therefore it is very important to have a thermometer at home and know how to correctly measure the temperature of a child, taking into account his age.
How do you take a baby’s temperature?
There are several ways to do this. Each of them has its own characteristics and recommendations for use.
In the rectum. To learn how to take a babys rectal temperature correctly, pay attention to the following recommendations. This method of temperature measurement is recommended for children under 3 years of age. It gives the most precise and fastest results. So, how to take babies rectal temp? First you need to lay the child on his knees with his stomach down. Or lay on his back, pressing his legs to his chest. Then apply a small amount of cosmetic petroleum jelly to the end of the thermometer and the child’s anus. Very slowly and gently insert the tip of the thermometer into the rectum no more than 1 inch (or half an inch if the child is older than 6 months). After 10 seconds, you will hear a sound signal. Remove the thermometer carefully. How to check rectal temperature baby? If the temperature is above 100.4°F (or 38°C). It is considered a symptom of a fever in a child.
How to take baby temperature rectal correctly?
It is important to understand that there is a risk of damaging the rectum. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to insert the thermometer very slowly, keeping the child motionless. The tip of the thermometer should point towards the navel. If you do not know how to take rectal temp in baby and are not sure what you can do, try another method of measuring the baby’s temperature.
On the forehead. If you’re thinking about how to take a newborns temp, this might be the way to go. You only need 2 seconds to measure the temperature, absolutely comfortable for the baby. In this case, we are talking about a thermometer that reads heat waves emanating from the frontal artery, and not about the stripes on the forehead. Such a device must be placed in the center of the child’s forehead, in contact with the skin. Some types of thermometers need to be moved, check the instructions. After 2 seconds, a signal will sound and you will see the body temperature on the screen.
In the armpit.
How to take baby temp under arm?
It’s pretty simple. In a dry armpit, you need to place a thermometer and press the elbow of this hand tightly to the chest. Hold your hand and watch your baby until the signal sounds, about 10 minutes later. How to check baby temperature with thermometer this way? It is possible to speak of a fever if the screen is above 99.0° F (or 37.2° C).
There are other ways to measure the child’s temperature, for example, ear. But they are less effective and can be dangerous if there is not enough knowledge and experience for such a measurement. Therefore, if you think how to check a newborns temperature or want to take the temperature of a baby, use one of the methods described above, or consult a doctor.
