Taking a child's temperature

You can often tell that a child has a fever just by looking at them: Typical signs include a hot, red face, tired or glazed eyes and otherwise pale skin. Many parents who suspect that their child has a fever feel their child’s forehead with their hand. If the child’s forehead or neck feels hot, it could be a sign of fever.

Children who have a fever may cry a lot or have no appetite. Some are very thirsty too.

Body temperature can be measured with the following types of thermometers:

• Digital thermometers: You can use a digital thermometer to measure a child's body temperature in their bottom (rectally), mouth (orally, under the tongue) or armpit.
• Infrared and chemical thermometers: These can be used to measure the temperature in their ear or on their forehead.

In order to get correct readings, it's important to follow the instructions that come with the thermometer.

For the most accurate readings, it's best to insert a digital thermometer into the child's bottom. This approach is especially suitable for babies. In children from one year of age, body temperature can also be reliably measured with an infrared thermometer in the ear.

Measurements in the mouth and armpits are very inaccurate in children. Forehead or temple thermometers are also less accurate and are not recommended, especially for younger children.

Using a digital thermometer to measure a child's temperature in their bottom gives accurate results but can be unpleasant for them. Before gently inserting the thermometer into the anus, you can put a bit of fatty cream on it first so it can slide in better and doesn’t hurt.

You only need to insert the tip of the thermometer (1 to 2 centimeters deep) – the readings will still be reliable. It is best to lay babies on their back with their legs held high. Older children usually prefer to lie on their stomach.

Taking a child's body temperature with a digital thermometer typically takes about one minute. The thermometer makes a beeping sound once the temperature has been measured.

It is important to clean your hands and the thermometer thoroughly after taking the temperature, to avoid spreading any germs from the child's bottom.

Special infrared thermometers can be inserted into children's ears to measure the heat given off by their eardrum. They show the body temperature after just a few seconds, but are much more expensive than digital thermometers.

For ear thermometer measurements to be accurate, the sensor has to point towards the eardrum. This is easier if the child's ear is gently pulled up and back. It is not all that easy to find the right place in the ear if you haven't had much practice, especially when taking a baby's temperature. Look at the instruction manual to find out how to use the ear thermometer correctly.

When using a digital thermometer to take a child's temperature in their mouth, you first clean the thermometer. The tip of the thermometer is then placed under their tongue, toward the back. This approach provides very accurate readings in adults. But you have to make sure that you keep your mouth closed and your tongue still while your temperature is being measured. This can be particularly difficult for younger children to do. For this reason, other approaches are recommended for children (measuring their temperature in their bottom or ear). It is possible to take the temperature of older children and teenagers in their mouth, but the results aren't as accurate.

They shouldn't drink anything hot or cold shortly beforehand because that will affect the results.

To take a child's temperature in this way, you place a digital thermometer under their armpit and they keep their arm close to their body. Although this is a simple and convenient way to measure a child's temperature, the readings may be wrong if the child moves too much (up to 2°C higher or lower than their actual body temperature). On average, temperatures measured in the armpit are about 0.7°C too low. Measuring under the armpit is inaccurate at any age so it is generally not recommended.

Forehead or temple thermometers are easy to use, comfortable for the child and also work when he or she is asleep. They are available in various forms, including infrared thermometers, liquid crystal thermometers and chemical thermometers.

But their readings can be influenced by things like sweat on the skin, so they're less accurate than measurements taken in the ear or bottom. Because of this, forehead and temple thermometers are not recommended if you need accurate readings.