Body temperature of babies and children: What is normal?

Tips for Parents

To better understand your baby's normal temperature behavior, pay attention to the following:

1. Temperature curve
2. Your child's behavior
3. Environment

Reference values for temperature ranges:

For babies, the following reference values apply:

• Normal: 36.0–37.5 °C
• Slightly elevated: from 37.6 °C
• Fever: from 38.0 °C

Important: These values are not fixed limits, but rather guidelines.

Why does temperature often change?

A child's immune system is constantly learning. This can lead to temporary temperature increases without an infection breaking out. Often, children are warmer without being sick.

The reason: Their thermoregulation is still immature. The body reacts faster and stronger to external influences.

Typical causes of fluctuations are:

• Activity: Playing, kicking, crying, and breastfeeding can briefly raise the temperature slightly.
• Sleep: In deep sleep, the temperature drops slightly because the body saves energy. In an active dream phase, the temperature can even be slightly elevated because more energy is consumed.
• Environment/Clothing: Clothes that are too warm, multiple layers, a sleeping bag, synthetics + blanket, or a warm or cold room have a much stronger effect on children than on adults.

Teething, growth spurts, excitement, and emotional closeness (lots of physical contact) can also lead to slight temperature increases.

More important than the single number are the following factors:

• is your baby sluggish, unusually restless, or apathetic?
• does it drink less or refuse food?
• are there additional symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, or skin rash?

Instead of being alarmed by a single value, it is much more telling to see:

• Is the temperature continuously rising?
• Is it falling again on its own?
• Is it remaining stable?

Not every elevated temperature is a fever – and not every number is a warning sign.
A cheerful, active child with a slightly elevated temperature is usually healthy. Context and the trend matter more than a single value; MARY by sticklett helps you with this.

• In the MARY by sticklett App, you can see temperature curves clearly over several days/nights.
  
• You receive notifications for a significant increase in temperature.

This makes it easier for you to decide whether it's a usual temperature fluctuation or a real fever.