Your child's body temperature is an indicator of overall health and can be one of the first signs of many types of illnesses, including infection. A normal body temperature in children and adults, when taken orally, is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The normal range can fluctuate, depending on your child and where you take the body temperature, however. Most physicians determine that a child has a fever, or raised body temperature, with a an oral measurement is over 99.5 degrees.
Significance
Normal temperature monitoring is critical to the overall health care of a child. Changes in body temperature can be the first sign of various illnesses, of which infections are the most common. Not only is body temperature important for diagnosis of an illness, but a return to normal from a changed temperature can also be used to measure recovery from that illness, as well. Lastly, normal temperature readings throughout the child's body are an indicator of proper blood flow and circulation.
Types
You can take your child's temperature in multiple locations though the normal reading changes depending on where you are taking the temperature. Oral temperature readings should be centered around 98.6 degrees, while a normal rectal reading can be up to 100.4 degrees. An axillary temperature reading, which is done in the child's armpit, varies more, and can have a normal range from 94.5 to 99.1 degrees.
Methods
You can take your child's body temperature by a variety of methods, and must choose the one that is most appropriate for your child and with which you are most comfortable. Measuring temperature rectally is most common for infants under 3 months old. At this age, ear measurements are not reliable due to the small size of the child's ear canal. From 3 months to 4 years old, you can perform rectal, ear or axillary measurements, with rectal still being the most accurate. After the age of 4, or whenever a child begins to cooperate, you can begin to take oral temperatures using a digital thermometer.
Considerations
Abnormal temperature readings can be a sign of illness or other health problems. A fever is a constantly raised body temperature, and for children is defined as above 99.5 degrees when measured orally. A fever can also be diagnosed by a rectal temperature above 100.4 degrees or an axillary measurement above 99.1 degrees. Abnormally low body temperatures can also be dangerous, though they are less common. Low temperature readings are below 95.9 degrees orally or below 97.9 degrees rectally.
Warning
You can learn how to properly take a child's temperature at your physician's office. Rectal readings in particular can be daunting to first-time parents, and expert training will ease your discomfort or anxiety associated with the measurement. Whenever you measure a fever in your child, it is appropriate to bring her to the physician's office. Though temperature changes can be the result of simple or benign conditions, such as a short viral infection, they can also be the warning signs of more serious illness.
