6
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON
BODY TEMPERATURE AND ITS
MEASUREMENT
About Normal Body Temperature & Fever
The temperature in the forehead and temple areas diers from
the internal body temperature, which is taken orally or rectally.
Vasoconstriction, an eect which narrows the blood vessels
and cools the skin, can occur during the early stages of a fever.
Therefore, if the reading does not match the patient’s own per-
ception or is unusually low, repeat the measurement every 15
minutes. As a reference, you can also measure the internal body
temperature using a conventional oral or rectal thermometer.
Body temperature can vary from one individual/person to anoth-
er. It also varies by location on the body and time of day. The
charts below show the statistical normal ranges from dierent
sites and in dierent ages. Please keep in mind that tempera-
tures measured in dierent places, even at the same time,
should not be directly compared. Fever indicates that body tem-
perature is higher than normal. This symptom may be caused by
infection, overdressing or immunization. Some people may not
experience fever even when they are ill. These cases include
but are not limited to infants younger than 3 months old, people
with compromised immune systems, people taking antibiotics,
steroids or antipyretics (aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen), or
people with certain chronic illnesses. Please consult your physi-
cian when you feel ill even if you do not have fever.
Normal Temperature Ranges in Dierent Ages
0-2 years old 36.4°C-38°C
3-10 years old 36.1°C-37.8°C
11-65 years old 35.9°C-37.6°C
Above 65 years old 35.8°C-37.7°C
Normal Temperature Ranges for Dierent Sites
Ear temperature 35.8°C-38°C
Oral temperature 35.5°C-37.5°C
Forehead temperature 34.5°C-38°C
Axillary temperature 34.7°C-37.3°C
Rectal temperature 36.6°C-38°C
