When the baby is still in the womb of the mother, his body is not used to regulating body temperature on his own. Thus, the newborn in the first months does not yet fully keep its temperature in equilibrium. Young children are very prone to hypothermia or overheating. Both are dangerous for the newborn, because, according to recent studies, they can lead to sudden death. For this reason, the body temperature in infants should be constantly monitored.
All newborns and infants have a higher body temperature than older children and adults. It is known that the correct body temperature in babies is considered to be from 36.6 0 and up to 37 0. It can vary depending on the time of day and night, as well as the activities of the child. As a rule, the lowest body temperature in infants in the morning, after waking up, with a gradual increase in the evening. Especially the temperature can increase with active movements or even intense sucking. This is quite normal for young children, only if their temperature does not exceed 38.0 ° C.
If your child’s arms and legs are cold, this does not necessarily mean that your baby is cold. A sign of hypothermia or overheating is the neck. How is body temperature measured in infants? They do not measure it in the mouth and under the arm due to the dangers and inaccuracy of measurements. In young children, the best solution would be to measure rectal temperature - in the rectum, whose indicators should vary from 36.60 ° C to 38.50 ° C. With this type of definition, you need to subtract half a degree to get the correct result. The measured body temperature in infants in the ear should be in the range of 35.70C -38.00C. An electronic or digital thermometer with this type of temperature determination is placed near the child’s ear. Contraindications are diseases and infections of the middle ear.
If you notice when changing the diaper that the baby's skin has turned red, this may indicate overheating. Also, a sweaty neck and sweat between the shoulder blades will be signs of an increase in body temperature. Hyperthermia of a child is especially noticeable in his behavior - he becomes moody, sleeps poorly. In order to avoid overheating and hypothermia in infants, the air temperature in the room where the baby is sleeping should be adjusted accordingly. In order for the body temperature in infants to be normal during sleep, you need to choose bedding for a bed from natural breathing fabrics. For example, pure flax, which is characterized by its natural properties of adaptation to body temperature. Thus, even bedding can be very useful in balancing the condition of the child. No heavy sheep wool blankets are needed to prevent overheating. If the room temperature is below 180C, a light blanket will be very useful. Otherwise, the child will be hot, even if you wear only pajamas on him.
The body temperature of children can be divided into four categories. The first type is a normal temperature between 36.0 and 37.0 0. The second stage is a slight increase in degrees to 380C, a child with such a temperature becomes moody, cries, is lethargic and looks tired. If the thermometer shows the mark 38.1 0 - this is already the beginning of the fever. The state of high temperature begins its report at 39.0 0. Fever in young children can be a symptom of various diseases. The body temperature in newborns is confused with the help of antipyretic drugs in the form of syrups, such as Kalpol, Efferralgan, Panadol. Their doses should correspond to the weight and age of the child. It is also convenient for small children to put candles - this eliminates the possibility of suffocation and vomiting. In addition, if you have a fever, you must remove the diaper and put the child in dry clothes.
How to measure the body temperature of a child? Put the baby on its side or stomach and gently open its butt, lubricate the anus with petroleum jelly and insert the tip of the thermometer. Keep it in this position for 3-5 minutes and subtract 0.5 degrees from the results. For older children, measure the temperature under your arm by sitting your child on a chair.