Is it normal for an eight-month-old baby to have a temperature of 374?

Children cannot express their needs, and there is no way to control the baby according to their needs. Even whether the child's body temperature is normal, in addition to what symptoms the baby will encounter during the development process, is also a problem that many people worry about. In fact, the body temperature of an eight-month-old baby is 37.4. Whether this is normal or not still needs to be studied. Let's take a look at the difference between the normal body temperature of adults and babies, so that we can discover some problems in time.

The little secret behind your baby's body temperature

1. Babies’ body temperature is often higher than that of adults

This is mainly because babies have an active metabolism and produce more heat in their bodies, so their average body temperature is higher than that of adults. The average body temperature of adults is 36℃~37℃, while the average body temperature of babies is between 36.3℃~37.2℃.

2. Every baby has his or her own "exclusive" body temperature

Do you know, parents? Not all babies have the same normal body temperature. Each baby's body temperature is unique. Mothers can measure their baby's normal body temperature when he is in good health to understand what his normal body temperature is.

Generally speaking: normal body temperature is between 36℃ and 37℃; and the level of body temperature is affected by many factors such as crying, eating, activity, high room temperature, thick bedding, and too many clothes can all increase the body temperature, but it will not exceed 37.5℃. Silence, hunger, and coldness can cause the body temperature to be low; newborn babies or premature babies may have a body temperature lower than normal if they are not well kept warm.

If the body temperature reaches or exceeds 37.5℃, you should consider whether your baby has a fever.

3. The baby's development level leads to weak temperature regulation ability, making it more likely to suffer from heat stroke or dehydration

The baby's temperature regulation center and autonomic nervous system are developing. So it is difficult for young babies to regulate their body temperature. For example, when the outside temperature is high, babies will sweat faster than adults, but it is difficult for their body temperature to drop and the heat in the body is difficult to dissipate, so they are more likely to become dehydrated or have heat stroke, so you need to pay attention.

4. The baby's body temperature changes quickly, so you need to adjust the clothes in time

Babies have less subcutaneous fat and thinner skin than adults, so body heat is more easily transferred to the skin surface. This is why the parts of a baby's body covered by clothes are less likely to dissipate heat and their skin temperature is higher than that of adults.

The baby's body is too small, and the surface area per unit weight is too large, so heat can easily flow in and out. We all know that the smaller the food, the shorter the time it takes to heat or cool. Similarly, the body temperature of a very small baby is easily affected by the surrounding temperature. In addition, a baby's body surface area per unit weight is three times that of an adult. Therefore, the body temperature is easier to dissipate than that of an adult and is more easily affected by the external environment.

Correctly measure your baby's temperature

1. Choice of thermometer

Glass mercury thermometer: It is cheap and has accurate readings, but because it takes a long time to measure (usually 5 to 10 minutes), it is a challenge to the baby's patience. It is also very easy to break, and the consequences of breakage are quite serious. Therefore, doctors do not recommend that parents use it on babies under 3 years old.

Electronic thermometer: The measurable part is basically the same as that of the mercury thermometer, but the operation time is relatively short (usually 1 to 3 minutes), the reading is clear, and some thermometers use soft materials for the detection head, which will not scratch the baby's tender skin.

Ear thermometer: commonly known as "ear thermometer", the principle is that the body surface will emit infrared rays corresponding to a certain temperature, and the body temperature can be measured by capturing the infrared rays. Measuring in the ear is to obtain relatively stable infrared rays near the eardrum, thereby measuring stable body temperature. As long as the measurement method is accurate, the advantages of this method of measuring body temperature are obvious - it is fast (it can be done in seconds) and the baby is easy to cooperate.

Infrared non-contact forehead thermometer: It uses the infrared principle. Since it does not need to come into direct contact with the body surface, it is more convenient to measure temperature and has a wider range of uses. For example, in addition to measuring body temperature, it can also be used to measure the temperature of formula milk and the temperature of baby's bath water. However, care should be taken when using it to ensure that the skin on the forehead is dry, and the thermometer should be pointed to the center of the forehead and kept vertically. If there is hair or other obstacles at the measuring site, it will affect the measurement results.

Forehead thermometer: novel and user-friendly design, easy for babies to accept. When measuring, just hold both ends and place the black side on your forehead, and hold it for several seconds (usually about 15 seconds) until the color of the thermometer changes. To ensure accurate readings, the forehead should be kept dry and measurements should be taken at room temperature (18°C ~ 27°C). If the ambient temperature is lower than room temperature, the measurement time should be appropriately extended. Do not use outdoors.