When your baby or small child is ill, a temperature taken with a rectal thermometer is the most accurate measure of his exact temperature. The younger a child is, the more important it is to be precise, since high fevers can be especially dangerous for infants. Many doctors insist that only rectal temperature measurements be used for babies under three months of age. After this age, digital ear thermometers may be an option; children older then three or four years old may be able to use an oral thermometer.
Step 1
Purchase a digital rectal thermometer. Choose one with a wide handle and a tip that flexes.
Step 2
Clean the thermometer with soap and hot water before every time you use it. You may also choose to wipe the tip with a small bit of running alcohol. Allow the tip to cool or run it under cool water before using it on the child.
Step 3
Coat the end of the thermometer with petroleum jelly to lubricate the tip.
Step 4
Sit down on a chair or the edge of a bed and lay the child across your knees, face down. You may also opt to lay the child on her back on a changing table or bed and pull the legs up, exposing the buttocks. Hold the child in place with one hand and take the thermometer in the other hand.
Step 5
Press the button on the digital thermometer to turn it on. Talk to the child in a soothing voice to keep him calm while preparing the thermometer.
Step 6
Gently spread apart the child's buttocks and slowly insert the thermometer into the rectum. Only insert the thermometer about one half to one inch or until the metal tip can no longer be seen. If you feel resistance, stop at that point and do not push the thermometer in any further.
Step 7
Hold the thermometer in place until the digital thermometer beeps to indicate that the reading is complete. Do not let go of the thermometer beforehand, since any wiggling by the child may push the thermometer out and you will have to repeat the reading.
Step 8
Remove the thermometer slowly and read the temperature in the display window. Record the temperature and the time when you took the reading to report to the child's doctor.
Step 9
Clean the thermometer with hot soapy water and sterilize it with rubbing alcohol before storing it.
