A common symptom in children who are sick is a fever. The University of Maryland Medicine, or UMM, advises that there are four grades of severity of fever. The grade of fever may influence the way your child's pediatrician treats your child. The difference between each grade is less than 1 degree F, so it is vital that you understand how to determine your child's temperature accurately.
Thermometer Types
There are three main types of thermometers--mercury, digital and temporal artery. The Mayo Clinic reports that digital thermometers are best for determining your child's temperature accurately. Digital thermometers give readings accurate to 1/10 of a degree Fahrenheit.
Glass mercury thermometers are not as accurate as digital models; in addition, if the glass breaks, it may release harmful mercury.
The accuracy of temporal artery thermometers, which take your child's temperature on his forehead, has not yet been determined.
Age of Child
Your child's age affects the type of thermometer and temperature location you should choose. The Mayo Clinic advises taking her temperature rectally if your child is less than 3 months old. If your child is 3 months to 4 years old, her rectal and oral temperatures are the most accurate. The UMM advises that you may take temporal and axillary or underarm temperatures, but they are less accurate. You can generally get an accurate reading from an oral thermometer once your child is at least 4 years old.
Grades of Fever
The UMM reports that ranges of fever grade may vary by medical practice. However, generally an oral temperature of 99.8 to 100.8 degrees F is a low-grade fever. Mild fevers range from 101 to 102 degrees F, while moderate fevers are 102 to 103 degrees F. A temperature higher than 103 degrees F is a high fever.
Considerations
The temperature range that indicates a fever varies slightly by the method by which you take it, reports the Children's Medical Center of Dayton. The Center reports that oral and axillary temperatures have no variance, with any reading from 96.8 to 99.3 degrees F considered a normal range. Rectal temperatures run slightly higher, with a normal range of 97 to 100.4 degrees F.
Although there are slight differences in readings, the Mayo Clinic cautions against recalculating your child's temperature yourself. Rather, you should use the conversions as a guideline of when to call the doctor. Report your child's exact temperature and the location at which you took it to the doctor for greatest accuracy in treatment advice.
Warnings
Always call your child's pediatrician if he has a fast-rising or persistent fever, has other symptoms or if he displays a rectal fever of 100.4 or higher and is under 3 months old, advises the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you cannot accurately determine your child's temperature for any reason, but he feels hot to the touch, you should also call.
Follow all treatment directions given by the pediatrician exactly. Never substitute recommended medications, particularly with aspirin. The UMM reports that giving aspirin instead of acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat a child's fever may result in Reye's Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.
