Taking armpit temp in a 5 week old? Give or take a degree? Accuracy??

Question

I'M A FIRST TIME MOM AND I'M SO STRESSED OUT!! My sweet baby is 5 weeks old and has a cold, the doctor told me to just use saline drops, suction his nose out, and monitor his temperature. I don't have a rectal thermometer and the one I have is super long and he wiggles too much to take his temp that way. (I don't want it slipping in too deep and hurting him) Is it okay to take his temperature under his arm?? Do I need to add or take away a degree? A nurse showed me how to do it so that way the tip is in full contact with the skin. I'm just scared that my baby could be running a fever and I not know it.😩

Answer

My doctor told me to take in arm pit and add a degree so is its 100.1 is 101.1

Answer

Axillary temps are highly inaccurate in small children especially in our babies. The only reliable way to check for fever in infant is rectal temp, and you will subtract one degree since checking core temperature is one degree higher when comparing to oral temperatures :) #ernurse

Answer

I would definitely try rectal, just get somebody to help you if you can. That will be the most accurate for you especially that young. 
You could even go get one of the forehead ones that runs across their head, I find thoseich easier than trying to get an armpit one. My son never would sit still so the forehead one was my go to

Answer

I've been using this to take his temperature under the arm. He wiggles too much to do it rectally and I don't want to go in too deep with him doing so.

Taking armpit temp in a 5 week old? Give or take a degree? Accuracy??

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