What is the normal temperature of the body

What is the normal temperature of the body
Find out what is the normal body temperature in the adult, the baby and the child, when it is considered high and when it is low.

Did you know that the normal temperature of the body varies depending on the person, the age you have at the time of taking it, as well as the activity that takes place and the time of day in which it is taken?

Surely you will still remember when, as a child, you cooled or grabbed and your mother took your temperature as a way of knowing if you had a fever or not (a condition that you could even know simply by putting your hand on your forehead and touching your little body).

While it is true that children, having a poorly developed immune system, are usually more likely to have a higher body temperature due to high or high fevers, it is always useful and recommended to know what the normal body temperature is, especially if you feel that you are sick and you think about taking the temperature.

The normal body temperature

As indicated above, first of all, before speaking of normal body temperature, it is very important to keep in mind that body temperature varies according to the following conditions: the person, the age you have, the activity you have carried out before taking the temperature, and the time of day when it is taken.

In fact, the body temperature changes normally throughout the day, so it is not the same as the one that is taken in the morning as we have risen, that we would have for example after having eaten.

As a general rule, most doctors agree that in adults a normal temperature ranges between 36.5 ºC and 37.2 ºC, although other specialists lower the normal temperature to 35 ºC. Thus, an average normal body temperature is considered to be at 37 ° C.

Body temperature in babies

The normal temperature in babies can vary between 34.7 ºC and 37.7 ºC, temperatures that depend on the way in which it is measured, as well as the time of day it is taken.

If the baby is between 3 and 6 months old and has a fever of 38.3 ºC or more, it is recommended to call the doctor or go to his office quickly. The same happens if your baby is more than 6 months old and a temperature of 39.4 ºC or more.

Body temperature in children

The normal temperature in a child is between 36 ºC and 37 ºC, which varies depending on whether it is taken in the armpit, in the mouth or in the rectum:

Between 36 ºC to 37 ºC if it is taken in the armpit.
Between 36.2 ºC to 37.2 ºC if it is taken in the mouth.
Between 36.7 ºC and 37.7 ºC if taken in the rectum.
When can you say that the temperature is low?

It is considered that the body temperature is low when it is below 36.5 ºC. However, there is hypothermia when the body temperature is below 35 ° C, a condition considered very seriously and dangerous that can cause the appearance of lethargy, shock, heart failure, and coma so that it can be life-threatening.

And when is it high?

It is considered that there is a high body temperature when it is above 37.2 ºC with an oral thermometer, and above 37.7 ºC if a rectal thermometer has been used for its measurement. Above these temperatures, the person is considered to have a fever.

On the other hand, we must bear in mind that fever above 40.5 ° C is very dangerous, as it can cause tissue necrosis, delirium, cellular stress, cardiac infarction and paroxysmal attacks.