How to Take Your Child's Temperature

Aww, you have a fever.

Taking your toddler's or school-aged child's temperature is easy with the right thermometer and a little know-how…

The most accurate ways of taking a child's temperature are either rectal or oral. You probably want to do oral for kids over the age of five who won't bite down on a thermometer. And a rectal temperature even though it's the most accurate, it's probably a little bit difficult to do between the ages of two and five. The other option you can use for ages two to five is an under-the-arm thermometer. Or an ear thermometer.

Choose the right thermometer… Digital thermometers like this one are readily available in drugstores or supermarkets and easy to use. Read the instructions that come with it if you're unsure of how to use it. DON'T use a glass mercury thermometer because they've been known to break. Wash the thermometer off before using it… Use lukewarm water and soap and then rinse and wipe it dry with a clean paper towel.

Taking an underarm temperature reading is relatively simple. .. Make sure the thermometer is clean and place it under the arm of the child. Put his arm down over it and wait until the thermometer beeps.

But remember a mouth reading is more accurate and generally preferred for older children. Wait at least a half-hour after your child has had either a hot or cold drink before taking a mouth reading.

Make sure the thermometer is clean and the child does not bite on it when you put it in her mouth. Open your mouth, let's put it under your tongue. Most thermometers take a few seconds to register and usually beep to tell you they're done.

Know when it's a fever.

A temperature of one hundred point four degrees Fahrenheit or more is considered a fever.

Write down the reading and the time it was taken. This can be useful information for the doctor and can also help you keep track of a dosing schedule if you're using an over-the-counter fever reducer like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Finally, wash the thermometer after you use it.

Cleaning your thermometer is really important. You can either wash it in warm water with soap and let it dry off itself or dry it off. Or, you can wipe it down with rubbing alcohol and then let it dry out before you put it in its container.

Label the container and store it in a cool dry place.