Taking Your Child's Temperature

If you suspect that your child has a fever, it's extremely important that you take your child's temperature properly. Once you have an accurate reading, you'll be able to determine if your child's temperature is high enough for you to give him fever-reducing medication or to call the pediatrician.

There are several different methods of taking a child's temperature. Each one has positives and negatives. Which one you use will depend on your child's age and your personal preferences.

Mercury thermometers used to be a common means of taking a child's temperature. This is no longer recommended. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that parents remove all mercury thermometers from their homes to eliminate the potential danger of being exposed to the toxin.

Here's the lowdown on the various acceptable methods of taking your child's temperature: