What is the normal body temperature of a child?

Some children nowadays are in very unhealthy conditions. Sometimes, due to malnutrition during pregnancy or lack of proper protection after delivery, the baby may become weak. In addition, the current environment outside is not good, and all foods contain pesticides and other chemicals. Long-term use may lead to poor physical fitness. Children's body temperature is an indicator that most parents use to check whether their children are sick. So, what is the normal body temperature of children? Let’s take a look at the answer given by experts.

If your child's forehead feels warm when you kiss or touch it, your child may have a fever. From a medical point of view, although each child's basal body temperature is different, the normal body temperature can fluctuate between 35.5℃ and 37.5℃, but if it exceeds 37.5℃, the child should be considered to have a fever. But it doesn’t mean that a child has a fever if his temperature exceeds 37.5℃. Because everyone's basal body temperature is different, some people's basal body temperature is 35℃; some people's basal body temperature is 37℃, or even 37.3℃.

We often say that the body temperature of babies under one year old is normal if it is below 37.5℃. The reason is that the center in the baby's brain that controls body temperature regulation is not yet mature, that is, the ability to control body temperature is not strong enough, causing the baby's body temperature to be affected by the ambient temperature. In hot weather or when wrapped too much, body temperature may rise slightly, but should not exceed 37.5°C. In cold weather or in an air-conditioned room with low temperature, body temperature can drop to 36℃ or lower.

Moreover, each person's body temperature changes throughout the day depending on their physical and living conditions. Body temperature will rise slightly after eating and exercising, and the amount of activity is positively correlated with the increase in body temperature. In order to understand your own body temperature, it is recommended to measure your basal body temperature. Basal body temperature refers to the body temperature when you wake up in the morning but before you get up and move around. At this time, the human body's metabolism is the lowest and the body temperature is also relatively the lowest. It is useful to know your basal body temperature.

For infants and young children, is a temperature below 37.5℃ considered a fever? It's really hard to say. The reason is that each infant's basal body temperature is different. Because infants and young children have a fast metabolism, their body temperature will be higher than that of adults, and their basal body temperature can be 36-37.5℃. For newborns, a body temperature not exceeding 37.5℃ is normal. Because the functions of newborns' organs, including the brain, are immature and their ability to control their body temperature is limited, if they are wrapped a little more, their body temperature will rise, sometimes up to 38°C. A "slightly high" body temperature is only meaningful when compared with the basal body temperature. Therefore, parents should understand their children's basal body temperature (body temperature in a quiet state). The younger the child, the higher the basal body temperature.

After looking at the normal body temperature range for children given by experts above, parents should have a comprehensive understanding. Many children do not know that they are sick and need the care and attention of their parents. Today's family conditions have improved. Some parents lack basic medical knowledge. In addition, children are the focus of the family, so when a child has any problem, they will be taken to the hospital for professional examination. It cannot be said that this is a bad thing, but parents must also learn to identify whether their child’s cold is a problem and whether it can be solved at home. After all, getting used to intravenous drips will lead to a decrease in the child’s immunity.