An infant fever is quite scary in a tiny baby....especially if it is a “true” infant fever. Because a baby has an immature immune system, they cannot fight off infections as easily as older children. This plays a huge role in Child Illness. When an infant spikes a fever while I am caring for them, I immediately call the parents- and you should too. Fevers can be a sign of something else going on in their little bodies, like Roseola or an Earache.When you agree to care for an infant, be sure to discuss with the parents what their methods are for taking their temperature and inform them on the method that you use. Also make it a point to include in your health policies that when you encounter a fever that the baby needs to go home. At what temperature should you call the parents and be concerned?
How to take an infant’s temperature:Doctors recommend that you use a rectal thermometer when checking for fevers. It is something that I suggest to parents, but I personally do not use them. It is something I am not comfortable using or doing.Instead, I use a digital temporal scanner thermometer that you swipe across the baby’s forehead for the newborns that I provide care for; it is very quick (4 seconds!)and easy as well as accurate. You could also use a digital thermometer and put it under the baby’s arm (arm pit area). >b>I have found this method to be inaccurate, never quite sure about adding a degree, and sometimes very hard to do when you have a sick and squirming little one!
And please, for the baby’s safety, hold the thermometer in place! You should never leave the baby unattended when checking for a fever. Infant fevers have many causes; infection, dehydration, over dressing the infant, etc. Whatever the cause of a true infant fever, we as care providers need to contact the parents/guardians immediately- especially if the baby is under 2 months of age so they can seek medical attention.
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