There are specific types to use in different parts of the body. But "normal" varies from person to person. Your temperature also changes during the day. It's likely to be lowest in the early morning.
And it's probably highest in the early evening. Before you take a temperature, read the instructions for how to use your type of thermometer. Oral by mouth is the most common method of taking a temperature. For you to get an accurate reading, you must be able to breathe through your nose. If you can't, then use the rectum, ear, or armpit to take your temperature. Forehead thermometers aren't as accurate as electronic and ear ones. Author: Healthwise Staff.
Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. See the fever guide on the last page of this Helping Hand to know what is recommended for your child. Children move around. You may need to hold the thermometer and hold your child at the same time to get a correct temperature.
For safety, never leave a child alone while you are using a thermometer. If using a glass thermometer not recommended , it may take a little longer to get a correct temperature. Remember: You are placing a piece of glass in your child's body. Never leave your child alone while taking his temperature.
Glass mercury thermometers are no longer recommended and can be dangerous. There are serious health risks if a glass mercury thermometer breaks. They concluded that forehead thermometers are not ideal for use in a hospital setting and pediatric practice.
Forehead thermometers use infrared sensors to pick up on infrared radiation that the body produces. Although infrared radiation is not visible, a person may be able to feel it as heat. A lens inside the thermometer focuses infrared radiation that the person emits onto a thermopile, which is a small electronic device that converts the infrared radiation into heat and then again into electricity. The thermometer measures this electrical reading and displays the result on the screen of the thermometer.
It will only take a person a few seconds to take a temperature reading with a forehead thermometer. One comparison study of rectal, ear, and forehead thermometers in a hospital setting found that ear thermometers were much more likely to detect fever than forehead thermometers. A rectal temperature reading confirmed cases of fever, and the authors recommended rectal temperature readings for exact measurements of temperature.
Another study found that the difference between ear thermometer measurements and forehead thermometer measurements ranged from 2. The authors of this study concluded that using a forehead thermometer to screen large groups of people for fever quickly is acceptable. However, they also wrote that forehead thermometers might not be the most suitable way to determine accurate body temperature measurements when compared with ear thermometers.
The general advice is to avoid using a glass thermometer. According to the National Capital Poison Center , glass thermometers can cause injury if the glass breaks. Additionally, some glass thermometers contain liquid mercury , which is toxic to humans. If a person comes into contact with mercury from a thermometer, they should seek medical attention immediately. They should also get advice from a poison control center so they can safely clean up the spillage.
For an infant or small child, the most accurate way to obtain an accurate temperature is with a rectal thermometer. To use an oral thermometer:. Don't take an oral temperature right after eating or drinking something; it will affect the results.
While this is the least accurate way to get a child's temperature, it's often used in schools and daycare to avoid spreading germs. To use an axillary thermometer:. Rectal thermometers are specifically designed with short tips that allow them to get a proper reading without going too far into the body. This method should be used for infants or those whose temperature cannot be taken any other way. To use a rectal thermometer:. Wash your thermometer before and after use with cold water , then rubbing alcohol.
Rinse thoroughly to remove the alcohol. These in-the-ear thermometers are very popular, especially among parents of small children, since they're faster than regular digital thermometers and are easy to use. However, tympanic thermometers can be difficult to use on babies and are often inaccurate because their ear canals are so small. To use a tympanic thermometer:. Make sure excess earwax isn't built up before using this method, as it can cause less accurate results.
The newest and most expensive thermometer on the market, temporal thermometers read heat coming from the temporal artery, which is right under the skin of your forehead. They are the fastest and probably the easiest thermometers to use. However, they may read too low at times.
Different models may have different instructions for use. Generally, to use a temporal thermometer:. Note: Some models require a swipe across the forehead and on the neck below the ear. This is fairly new technology, but research suggests that it's at least as accurate as tympanic devices. Mercury thermometers are no longer sold in the United States.
They pose a danger if they break and release the mercury, which is toxic. If you have an old mercury thermometer that you decide to use, shake it to get the mercury down to below 96 degrees F. Then hold it in place for about five minutes to get an accurate reading. The "normal" body temperature is usually stated as However, there's actually a range of body temperatures that's influenced by all kinds of factors, including age, height, weight, sex, ethnicity, and even time of day and activity level.
Interestingly, what's average appears to have dropped over time.
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