About Normal Body
Temperature & Fever
Body temperature can vary from one individual/person to next.
It also varies by location on the body and different time of the
day. Below shows the statistical normal ranges from different
sites. Please keep in mind that temperatures measured from
different sites, even at the same time, should not be directly
compared.
Fever indicates that the body temperature is higher than
normal. This symptom may be potentially caused by infection,
overdressing or immunization. Some people may not
experience fever even when they are ill. These include, but
are not limited to, infants younger than 3 months old, persons
with compromised immune systems, persons taking antibiotics,
steroids or antipyretics (aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen), or
persons with certain chronic illnesses.
physician when you feel ill even if you do not have fever.
* 1
Body Site Normal Temperature Range
Table 1
Oral
Rectal/ear
Axillary
(underarm)
*1. Body Temperature at WebMD;
website: http://firstaid.webmd.com/body-temperature retrieved at 2010
Jan 7.
0.6°C (1°F) or more above or below 37°C (98.6°F)
0.3°C to 0.6°C (0.5°F to 1°F) higher than oral temperature
0.3°C to 0.6°C (0.5°F to 1°F) lower than oral temperature
Please consult your
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