Measure a fever under the arm
Body temperature can be measured under the tongue, in the anus, or under the arm, but not all of these methods will give you the same fever.
Hardly anyone who still has a mercury thermometer today fever measures. The outdated measuring devices, which tend to break and release mercury, have now given way to thermometers with digital displays in almost every household. These do not pose a health risk and are easier to read. If you still have an old device containing mercury, please do not dispose of it with household waste, but rather at a collection point for hazardous waste.
Measuring a fever - the three most common methods
- The best, albeit most uncomfortable, method of determining body temperature is to take a rectal measurement. Children in particular feel very uncomfortable with it. Nevertheless, this way of measuring a fever gives the most precise information about the actual temperature inside the body. Thermometers with a flexible instead of a rigid tip are perceived as somewhat more pleasant.
- Another way of measuring temperature is to place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue placed and the mouth closed. Unfortunately, children tend to chew on the meter and move the tip in their mouth, which can lead to inaccurate readings. In addition, the foreign body in the oral cavity creates nausea in some people.
- The third variant is measuring under the poor, more precisely in the armpit. If you use a conventional device for this, the patient has to lie or sit completely still for a few minutes with his arm on. If the thermometer slips, it will deliver inaccurate readings.
Measured under the arm - what the values say
If there is no other method other than the armpit measurement, you should know the following about it:
Taking a fever is part of everyday family life for young parents, because children suffer ...
- The value measured in the armpit deviates by about 0.5 degrees Celsius from the temperature inside the body, downwards. This means that the value determined under the arm is lower than the body temperature that is relevant for you.
- The reason for this difference is that the armpit is not a body opening and the measurement can therefore only provide a reference value.
More pleasant but imprecise - new types of measuring devices
Taking a fever can be a challenge, especially with children. If you only suspect that your child has a high temperature, you can try a somewhat less precise measurement method in advance for a first clue; The trade has the following devices ready for this purpose:
- Ear or forehead thermometer: These measuring devices are only held for a few seconds on the corresponding areas to measure; an action that is barely registered by the child and gives you an initial clue.
- Pacifier thermometer: The device is put into the child's mouth like a conventional pacifier. The pacifier would deliver the most accurate value if the sensor were placed and held exactly below the tongue - but which baby or toddler can do that?
If one of these measuring methods confirms an increased temperature, in case of doubt you should measure again rectally with a conventional digital thermometer to determine the exact value.
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