Influenza (Avian and other zoonotic)
What Is A Normal Body Temperature?
Your body's temperature comes from your body doing the work that keeps you alive, with most of your body's heat coming from your heart, brain, liver, and muscles.. Most of the time, your temperature will stay around the same level – though body temperature can change, depending on your activity level and time of day, among other things. When your body puts out a lot more or a lot less heat than usual, it's trying to tell you there's a problem.
There's a range of normal body temperatures for adults and children. Things including activity level, time of day, weather, age, and more can also impact your body temperature. A normal temperature for adults is in the range of 97 F to 99 F, and for children it is 95.9 F to 99.5 F. (Photo Credit: E+ / Getty Images)
There are several ways to measure body temperature. The best way may depend on the situation and whose body temperature is being measured.
Rectal temperature. This is the most accurate method for taking the temperature of babies and infants, especially those that are younger than 3 months old. Make sure to use a digital rectal thermometer with a short probe.
Oral temperature. You can also use a thermometer in your mouth to measure temperature. Make sure to clamp your lips together tightly and breathe through your nose.
Tympanic temperature. This is when you use a digital thermometer pointed into your ear. These thermometers are quick and easy to use, but they may not be as accurate as other methods.
Forehead temperature. You can use an electronic digital thermometer on your forehead to measure your temperature. You can also use another type of thermometer, called a noncontact infrared thermometer. Don't use plastic strip thermometers that change color when you press them against your skin, because these are the least accurate method of measuring temperature.
Armpit temperature. You can also use any digital thermometer to take the temperature in your armpit if you don't want a thermometer in your mouth, rectum, ear, or on your forehead. This is also called an axillary temperature.
Not everyone's "normal" body temperature is the same. Yours could be a whole degree different from someone else's. Your temperature doesn't stay the same all day, and it will vary throughout your lifetime, too.
A German doctor in the 19th century set the standard at 98.6 F, but more recent studies say the baseline for most people may be decreasing.
Normal range of body temperature based on age
For a typical adult, body temperature can be anywhere from 97 F to 99 F. Adults over the age of 60 tend to have a lower body temperature, compared to younger adults. Babies and children have a wider range: 95.9 F to 99.5 F (if measured with an oral thermometer) or 97.9 F to 100.4 F (if measured by a rectal thermometer).
What is the normal forehead temperature for adults?
Your temperature reading may also change based on where on your body you measure it. Underarm readings can be a degree lower than what you'd find from your mouth. Rectal temperatures usually are up to a degree higher than mouth readings. If you are using a digital or noncontact infrared thermometer on your forehead, it can be slightly lower than mouth readings. But a normal temperature using a noncontact infrared thermometer will still be in the range of 97 F to 99 F for adults.
A body temperature higher than your normal range is a fever. It's hypothermia when the body temperature dips too low. Both need to be watched.
How high is too high when it comes to your temperature? Anything above 100.4 F is considered a fever. You may feel terrible, but on the whole, a fever isn't bad for you. It's a sign your body is doing what it should when germs invade. It's fighting them off.
Fever in adults
There are different levels of severity of fevers in adults. These include:
If you're an adult with a fever of over 104 F, you should call your doctor.
If you have a fever, you might have other symptoms besides just feeling warm. These can include:
Many fevers will go away within a few days. But you should call a doctor if you have any of these symptoms with a fever:
Fever in children
Fevers in children can be tricky, and children may not be able to show that they feel uncomfortable. Signs of a fever in children can include:
Like in adults, in many cases a child's fever can be managed at home. But you should contact your child's pediatrician if your child is:
How can you bring down a fever?
If you have had a high fever for 3 days or more, it is time to contact your doctor for help.
But if you have a moderate or low fever and are uncomfortable, there are some things you can try at home to bring down a fever.
If your body loses too much heat, it can be very serious, even fatal. Hypothermia is when your body temperature goes below 95 F, and your body is losing heat faster than it can produce heat. You might think of hypothermia as something that only happens when you're exposed to extremely cold weather for a long time. But it happens indoors, too. A below-normal body temperature can also be a sign that you're sick.
Hypothermia in adults
Hypothermia is a special concern for the elderly. Older adults can struggle to keep their body temperature in a normal range if they're somewhere with intense air conditioning or there's not enough heat.
Other things can also make you more likely to get hypothermia. They include:
Whether you are indoors or outdoors, the signs of hypothermia are similar. Hypothermia causes mental confusion, so someone who is hypothermic may not be aware that they need help. Symptoms of hypothermia can include:
Hypothermia in children
Hypothermia is also particularly concerning for children. Babies may not be good at controlling their temperature. They can lose heat quickly. It's important to keep them warm. A temperature below 97 F is considered too low for babies.
Symptoms of hypothermia in babies include:
How to treat hypothermia at home
Hypothermia is a life-threatening condition. If you suspect that you or someone that you're with has hypothermia, you should call 911 right away or go to the emergency room.
While you're waiting for emergency services to arrive, there are some things that you can do at home to help someone start getting warm. These include:
Is 96 F a normal temperature for a kid?
If you're measuring with an oral thermometer, the normal range for children's temperatures is 95.9 F to 99.5 F. So 96 F would be within the normal range for a child. But for an infant, 96 F is too low. If your baby is under a year old and has a temperature below 97 F, call your pediatrician.
A lot of things can change your normal body temperature, making it higher or lower than 98.6 F. These include:
Doctors used to think that the "normal" body temperature was 98.6 F, but we now know that there is a range of normal body temperatures for adults and children. Things including activity level, time of day, weather, age, and more can also impact your body temperature. A normal temperature for adults is in the range of 97 F to 99 F, and for children it is 95.9 F to 99.5 F. Higher temperatures than these are fevers and are caused by the body fighting off an infection. Lower temperatures can lead to hypothermia, a dangerous emergency condition.
What is the normal tympanic temperature range for adults? A normal tympanic (in the ear) temperature range for adults is between 95.7 F and 100 F.
What is normal toddler temperature? The normal temperature for a toddler between the ages of 1 and 3 is 95.9 F to 99.5 F, if you're taking their temperature with an oral thermometer.
What is the normal body temperature for a newborn? The normal body temperature for a newborn is above 97 F and below 100.4 F. If your newborn falls outside of that range, take them to see a doctor right away.
What Is Considered A Fever In Toddlers?
This question comes from a concerned parent who asks, 'What is considered a fever for toddlers and when should parents be concerned?'Dr. Bhargava
Okay, well a fever is always the same temperature, its 100.4, but with toddlers you may not be doing the rectal temperature and if you're doing an axillary temperature, which means under the arm, you do need to add a degree to that temperature to make it comparable to a rectal temperature.Joy Brown
And is it okay to give a toddler an over-the-counter med for a fever at that point?Dr. Bhargava
It is okay, but remember, if the child looks really sick or you are really worried about the child, it's really important to call the pediatrician or at least the pediatric nurse to talk about it and make sure that the child is okay.Joy Brown
You know actually had heard that sometimes giving an over-the-counter med for the fever, it can abate symptoms and then you actually cannot see a problem, is that true?Dr. Bhargava
Yes, yes absolutely. It can actually mask the fever and that's why generally the toddlers who are vaccinated, you can probably let them have a fever if they look well, they are a little happy, active, eating, drinking their normal selves, you can have the fever for 24 hours, probably without seeing a pediatrician. Because 90 plus percent are viral infections.Dr. Bhargava (cont.)
However, if the child is not looking well, the fever is not coming down in any circumstance, those are all reasons to go in to see your pediatrician.Joy Brown
So behavior, behavior, behavior?Dr. Bhargava
Behavior is really, really important.Joy Brown
In fact, I have read somewhere; I can't remember it's been a while that fever can also actually be a good sign that immune system is working?Dr. Bhargava
Yes. Pediatricians have always felt there's not a necessity for over-the-counter medications to stop the fever. It's really--and I'm going to be really frank about this-- It's really treating the parent in that, it's giving them something to do and making the child look better for a temporary period of time. The acetaminophen or Ibuprofen is not helping infection go away and fevers are just a symptom of the immune system fighting the infection.Dr. Bhargava (cont.)
So, I feel and most pediatricians feel that really there is no need for that and that's what I always advise. But if you feel that the child needs rest or just doesn't look that great and you want to do something about it then go ahead and use the acetaminophen or Ibuprofen.Joy Brown
It's really a new way to look at it I had never thought of. I really thought we were giving them these over-the-counter meds to help get the fever down, but maybe not so?Dr. Bhargava
Well, it will get the fever down, but it's not helping --, the way I describe it to my patients is, if you have a stack of dishes in your sink. If you throw a towel over it, the dishes are still there. So that's throwing a towel over it, so you can't see the problem anymore, but what's really going to get rid of those dishes is the immune system washing those dishes and putting them away and that's when the sink will be cleared. Does that make sense?Joy Brown
Perfect, perfect. What about a toddler with a headache?Dr. Bhargava
Toddler with a headache, children should not have headaches.Joy Brown
So, one of the things I was wondering if you were going to say that.Dr. Bhargava
Yeah, they really shouldn't. I don't like children to have headaches.Joy Brown
So a headache can be a sign of a serious problem?Dr. Bhargava
It can and all headaches should be seen by pediatricians.","publisher":"WebMD Video"} ]]>
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Joy Brown
This question comes from a concerned parent who asks, "What is considered a fever for toddlers and when should parents be concerned?"Dr. Bhargava
Okay, well a fever is always the same temperature, its 100.4, but with toddlers you may not be doing the rectal temperature and if you're doing an axillary temperature, which means under the arm, you do need to add a degree to that temperature to make it comparable to a rectal temperature.Joy Brown
And is it okay to give a toddler an over-the-counter med for a fever at that point?Dr. Bhargava
It is okay, but remember, if the child looks really sick or you are really worried about the child, it's really important to call the pediatrician or at least the pediatric nurse to talk about it and make sure that the child is okay.Joy Brown
You know actually had heard that sometimes giving an over-the-counter med for the fever, it can abate symptoms and then you actually cannot see a problem, is that true?Dr. Bhargava
Yes, yes absolutely. It can actually mask the fever and that's why generally the toddlers who are vaccinated, you can probably let them have a fever if they look well, they are a little happy, active, eating, drinking their normal selves, you can have the fever for 24 hours, probably without seeing a pediatrician. Because 90 plus percent are viral infections.Dr. Bhargava (cont.)
However, if the child is not looking well, the fever is not coming down in any circumstance, those are all reasons to go in to see your pediatrician.Joy Brown
So behavior, behavior, behavior?Dr. Bhargava
Behavior is really, really important.Joy Brown
In fact, I have read somewhere; I can't remember it's been a while that fever can also actually be a good sign that immune system is working?Dr. Bhargava
Yes. Pediatricians have always felt there's not a necessity for over-the-counter medications to stop the fever. It's really--and I'm going to be really frank about this-- It's really treating the parent in that, it's giving them something to do and making the child look better for a temporary period of time. The acetaminophen or Ibuprofen is not helping infection go away and fevers are just a symptom of the immune system fighting the infection.Dr. Bhargava (cont.)
So, I feel and most pediatricians feel that really there is no need for that and that's what I always advise. But if you feel that the child needs rest or just doesn't look that great and you want to do something about it then go ahead and use the acetaminophen or Ibuprofen.Joy Brown
It's really a new way to look at it I had never thought of. I really thought we were giving them these over-the-counter meds to help get the fever down, but maybe not so?Dr. Bhargava
Well, it will get the fever down, but it's not helping --, the way I describe it to my patients is, if you have a stack of dishes in your sink. If you throw a towel over it, the dishes are still there. So that's throwing a towel over it, so you can't see the problem anymore, but what's really going to get rid of those dishes is the immune system washing those dishes and putting them away and that's when the sink will be cleared. Does that make sense?Joy Brown
Perfect, perfect. What about a toddler with a headache?Dr. Bhargava
Toddler with a headache, children should not have headaches.Joy Brown
So, one of the things I was wondering if you were going to say that.Dr. Bhargava
Yeah, they really shouldn't. I don't like children to have headaches.Joy Brown
So a headache can be a sign of a serious problem?Dr. Bhargava
It can and all headaches should be seen by pediatricians.U.S. Had Above-normal Temperatures In 2000
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Although the United States is ending this year with colder-than-normal temperatures, the nation logged above-average temperatures for most of the year, government forecasters said on Monday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the average annual U.S. Temperature for the year 2000 was projected at between 54.1 and 54.2 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the average of 52.8 degrees Fahrenheit logged since 1895.
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"Although colder than normal temperatures have affected much of the U.S. Recently, the trend to warmer temperatures which began more than a century ago continues," NOAA said in a statement.
U.S. Temperatures have risen at a rate of 0.9 degree Fahrenheit per century over the past 100 years. But within the past 25 years, U.S. Temperatures increased at a rate of 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit, NOAA said.
During the past year, heat waves and drought covered much of the southern and western states while the Midwest and northeastern U.S. Experienced prolonged periods of cooler and wetter than normal conditions.
July 2000 was the coolest such month on record in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and the second coolest in New York, NOAA said. The summer months also brought above-average rainfall in 15 states throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
Losses from drought, wildfiresMeanwhile, states in the Deep South endured a third straight summer of below-normal precipitation. The driest May through October on record occurred in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, causing billions of dollars worth of drought losses.
By August 36 percent of the nation was classified as having severe to extreme drought, though rainfall in recent months significantly eased dry conditions in many areas, NOAA said.
The drought also made for one of the worst U.S. Wildfire seasons in 50 years. More than 7 million acres of forests and grasslands were consumed by fire in 2000 with nationwide losses of more than $1 billion.
Tornadoes down, hurricanes upNOAA also said there were fewer tornadoes in 2000 than average. That compares to the average of 38 annual violent tornadoes logged during the past half-century.
But there were more tropical storms and hurricanes than usual, the government forecasters said.
In 2000 there were 14 named tropical storms, eight of which became hurricanes with three reaching major hurricane strength. On average, nine named storms form in the Atlantic with seven growing to hurricane strength and two into major hurricanes.
Government weather data shows there has been greater hurricane activity over the past six years after more than two decades of generally below-average activity.
Global temperatures, rain increasedSatellite weather data collected by NOAA showed average global surface temperatures were also much warmer than normal in 2000.
The global temperature was expected to be 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit above average recorded since 1880, similar to temperatures recorded in 1999. The only years warmer were 1998, 1997, 1995, and 1990.
The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1983, NOAA said. During the past century, global temperatures rose at a rate near 1.1 degree Fahrenheit, but this trend "dramatically" increased to a rate greater than 3.0 Fahrenheit per century during the past 25 years, NOAA said.
Global rainfall was also above-average in 2000.
NOAA estimated 2000 would end as one of the ten wettest years on record.
Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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