Baby Temperature: What's Normal and When to Get Help

The short answer

A normal temperature for a baby or young child is around 36.4°C (97.5°F), though it naturally varies a little through the day.

A high temperature is 38°C (100.4°F) or above. On its own a number doesn't tell you everything — how your baby looks and behaves matters just as much.

Get help urgently if

• Your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher.
• Your baby is 3–6 months and has a temperature of 39°C (102.2°F) or higher.
• They seem very unwell, floppy, hard to wake, or have a rash that doesn't fade under a glass.

In the UK, call your GP or 111; in an emergency call 999. In the US, call your paediatrician or 911 in an emergency. Trust your instincts — you know your child.

How to take a baby's temperature

• Use a digital thermometer. Under 5 years, the armpit is the usual place for a home reading.
• Hold it in the armpit with your baby's arm gently tucked against their side until it beeps.
• Wait 15–20 minutes after a bath, a feed or being bundled up — they can all nudge the reading up.
• Ear thermometers are quick but can be less accurate if not positioned well. Forehead strips aren't reliable.
• Feeling the forehead tells you to check, not what the number is.

What to note down

If you're speaking to a GP, nurse or paediatrician, these observations help:

• Each reading, the time, and where you took it.
• How they're feeding and how many wet nappies they've had.
• Whether they're alert and responsive between readings.
• Any rash, cough, change in breathing, or vomiting.
• Anything you've given them, and when.

Ask about medicines and doses with your pharmacist or GP — I won't guess at amounts for your child.

Keeping them comfortable

• Offer regular feeds or drinks.
• Dress them in light layers and keep the room comfortably cool — don't wrap them up to "sweat it out".
• Let them rest, and check on them through the night.
• Avoid cold baths or sponging with cold water.

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I'm Elira — a wellness companion, not a doctor. This guide is for reflection and gentle support, not medical advice. If something feels wrong, trust your gut and speak to your GP, health visitor, or 111 (UK) / your paediatrician (US).