It’s really important to keep your newborn always in normal infant temperature range. For those babies who are under three months getting a true fever could be an alarm of a serious health problem and it needs an immediate medical assistance. Parents should extra careful when they spotted their infant has a fever since it may related to certain serious infections including meningitis and urinary tract infections.
Compared to four months of age and beyond, babies under three month are more prone to infections since their immune system stills immature. That’s why fever on this group of age need more attention. It’s critical to take your infant’s temperature and the cause of the fever.
What considered as a normal infant temperature?
According to webmd.com, the body temperature of your baby changes throughout the day, and it’s completely normal. In the early morning between 4 and 6 a.m. the body’s temperature hit the lowest one which is 97 degrees F (36.1 degree C), meanwhile the highest temperature reach in the early evening between 6 and 8 p.m. which is 99 degrees F (37.2 degree C). Health practitioners agree that the normal infant temperature is 99.6 degrees F (37.5 degree C) when it taken rectally or 98.6 degrees F (37 degree C) when it taken orally.
How can we measure the normal temperature in a baby?
Experts suggest a digital thermometer rather than a mercury thermometer. Besides the accuracy, mercury is harmful to your baby and i believe you don’t want to expose your baby with poisonous mercury. First of all, be sure to label the thermometer, which one used orally and which one used rectally.
Clean the thermometer using lukewarm and soapy water, rinse it with fresh water and dry it using soft fabric or tissue paper. When you read the temperature orally, wait for about 20 minutes after your baby finished drinking or eating. Follow the manufacturer instruction for better result.
For safety reason, never leave your infant alone while using a thermometer. When you done reading the temperature, clean the thermometer by applying alcohol or soapy water, rinse it cleanly and dry the tool using clean paper towel.
How to maintain infant’s normal body temperature?
Besides infections and other diseases, a fever may be caused by several factors including vaccination. A baby under three months of age may experience mild fever when they wearing multilayer clothes. Avoid the baby from hot environment can also maintain the normal infant temperature range
Singapore - Register NOW!
