Temperature 36 in a baby after an illness. Symptoms and treatment of low body temperature in a baby

Temperature is the primary indicator that determines the state of health of the child.

Not only signals any health problems, low level body temperature is also an indicator of the presence of any negative processes in the body.

There is an opinion that the optimal body temperature for both a small child and an adult is 36.6 degrees. This indicator is influenced by a large number of factors, such as the gender and age of the baby, the degree of his physical activity, the time of temperature measurement, etc. Doctors say that a healthy child has a temperature ranging from 36.5-37.5 degrees.

The low temperature is characterized in the range of 36.0-36.5 degrees. The body temperature should not fall below 36 degrees, the interval of 35.4-35.6 is completely unacceptable, in which case it is necessary to show the child to a specialist as soon as possible.

Causes of low temperature

To date, doctors have identified several of the most common causes that reduce the temperature:



Excessive stay at the computer and TV, insufficient time for sleep and rest, stress on school curriculum- all this can lead to low temperature body. This can be a signal that a disease begins in the child’s body, so contacting a doctor in this case and diagnostics are necessary.

If a high temperature in a child is a signal in order to sound the alarm and take any action to eliminate it, then what could be the consequences and what measures to take if the child, on the contrary, has a low temperature level, only a few know.

How to raise the temperature?


In young children, the temperature level also depends on the environment, which has a serious impact on his condition. Therefore, in order to raise the temperature to its normal values, it is necessary to wrap the baby up, give him hot tea with honey, you can use a heating pad.

If low body temperature is a consequence of overworking the child, then it is best to put the child to bed and give him a good rest. After a sound sleep under a warm blanket, the temperature should quickly return to normal.

When, children may also experience a decrease in overall body temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the pressure, and if it really turns out to be low, then it is necessary to give the baby strong tea with dark chocolate. It will be useful for the body itself, and tasty for the child.

When, there is also such a symptom as a low temperature level. But such a diagnosis is often made to children in adolescence. It is not worth sounding the alarm, since this disease is not dangerous, it is something like a stage of transition to new level, the human body matures and moves to a new, already adult stage.

Regardless of what exactly served to drop the temperature to its minimum limits, you should not immediately panic. A lot depends on the emotional state, so the child should always feel love and care from the parents.

It is necessary to consult a doctor if the body temperature for 4-5 days is kept at a low level and does not rise. This is a clear sign that the baby is unwell.

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What is an elevated body temperature in a baby is known to every parent. When a child has an unhealthy sparkle in his eyes, and his whole body is blazing with heat, it is not difficult to predict the algorithm of actions. To eliminate this problem, there are a lot of antipyretic drugs. But what if the situation is reversed, and the child's temperature is below normal? And in general, is it worth taking any measures?

Causes of low temperature

To begin with, let us clarify that the concepts of normal body temperature for both babies and adults are different. If for an adult this indicator varies between 36.4-36.8 degrees, then for young children the norm can be 36.1 and 36.9 degrees. BUT winter night at baby low temperatures are common. This is due to the fact that the thermoregulation of the body is still imperfect. The closeness of mom and a warm blanket is the easiest solution to the problem.

It is worth noting that the causes of low temperature in a child can be very diverse. In most cases, parental anxiety is unfounded. For example, in a situation where the baby is prescribed antibiotics. Taking these drugs sometimes provokes a decrease in body temperature, which is an absolutely normal reaction of the child's body. If during antibiotic treatment the child's body temperature is very low (below the norm by 0.3-0.6 degrees), then the attending physician should be notified. The specialist will select another drug that does not cause a similar reaction.

Low temperature can also be observed during the recovery period after an illness. The child's body is weakened after an illness, the immune defenses are also depleted and need to "rest", and a low level of hemoglobin is often noted in the blood. After a few days, the temperature returns to normal and without third-party intervention.

The second reason is quite natural, and the parents are the culprits of why the child has a low body temperature. It's about about banal hypothermia, when the baby walks without a hat in the cold season, in damp clothes, and in the summer it stays in the water for a long time. To correct the situation, which is fraught with colds and inflammation, it is necessary to warm the baby. Get him drunk warm tea or compote, organize a hot bath, if possible. At the same time, it is important not to overdo it, since a sharp temperature drop can harm the health of the crumbs more harm than hypothermia itself!

If you are firmly convinced that the baby has not been supercooled and has not been sick recently, then a low temperature (hypothermia) may also indicate a serious illness. This symptom accompanies thyroid disease, vitamin deficiency, severe intoxication, anemia, and even cancer.

Hypothermia in babies is accompanied by lethargy, lethargy, bad mood, lack of appetite, headaches. Don't take risks! If the thermometer stays below 36 degrees for several days, then you should call a doctor or visit a clinic.

Prevention of hypothermia

It's no secret that physical activity raises body temperature. Ordinary baby massage or active play with one year old babygood way raise the temperature. It is equally important to pay attention to strengthening the immune system. AT childhood The main factor is a complete, vitamin-rich, balanced diet.

A huge role in the prevention of hypothermia is given to hardening. In the first days of life, you can accustom your baby to low temperatures while bathing. In just a few months, you can reduce the temperature of the water in the bath from the usual 37 to 27-28 degrees.

Over time, the baby's body will get stronger, thermoregulation will improve, and hypothermia will become a thing of the past!

All parents are supposed to take care of their children and their health, so adults are equally concerned about both high and low temperatures in their children. The latter phenomenon is slightly less frequent and bears the scientific name "hypothermia". It is considered developed if the child's temperature has been 35 degrees or lower for several days, while alternative methods of treatment do not give an effect.

In this case, the body signals a serious failure, so this phenomenon cannot be ignored.

Symptoms of hypothermia in a child

The moment when the temperature drops below the maximum permissible norm is difficult to catch even for an adult. Many do not attach importance to this problem because of the too common symptoms, reminiscent of simple overwork.

In a child, the signs of hypothermia are very ambiguous, since they are also inherent in other diseases:

  • Nervousness and Bad mood. Can be expressed in excessive capriciousness and manifestation of aggression. This symptom should be especially alert if the child was not previously characterized by such behavior.
  • Apathy. The periods described above can be replaced by complete indifference to what is happening, at such moments the kids cannot be captivated by a game or other activity.
  • Drowsiness and low activity. A drop in body temperature very often leads to this symptom, as the child's body tries to avoid hypothermia by conserving energy.
  • Loss of appetite and headache. As the usual companions of any ailment, these signs take place in such a case.

If this complex of symptoms is found in a child, a thermometer should be put on him immediately. If the fears are confirmed, then the most appropriate solution would be to consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment methods.

Why is the temperature dropping?

The reasons for this phenomenon in babies are very diverse and largely depend on age, as well as the period of their gestation. For example, for newborns, prematurely lowered rates are the norm. As the child adjusts to the environment, body temperature stabilizes.

In other cases, the causes of hypothermia are as follows:



  • common cold;
  • consequences of intoxication;
  • weak immune system + beriberi;
  • prolonged illness or progression of an existing one;
  • anemia;
  • oncology;
  • malfunction of the thyroid gland.

The most banal situation, due to which the body temperature drops to 35 degrees and below, is hypothermia of the body. Often it happens in summer and winter when children are too lightly dressed or frolic in the street in wet clothes.

Treating hypothermia in a child

Since prolonged low body temperature is detrimental to a person of any age, one should seek medical help even in a single case of this phenomenon. Ignoring mild hypothermia can lead to complications ranging from CNS failure to death.

Methods for eliminating the problem usually vary depending on the indicators and the condition of the patient. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the cause of the development of the violation, since its elimination will lead to the normalization of the body.

Medical intervention

This type of treatment is undoubtedly the most effective. But a low temperature in a child is a very specific symptom of various serious diseases, so you can’t do without consulting a doctor.



Drugs allowed for adults with hypothermia (persen, normoxan, pantocrine) are not always suitable for babies for various indications, so you should not engage in amateur activities. In addition, the child is usually prescribed treatment in the form of droppers and injections, which not every adult is able to do.

All that parents can do is to warm their child, guided by a number of permitted activities, strictly dependent on the indicators of the thermometer.

The child's temperature is 35.3-32 degrees - what should parents do?

This is the first stage of hypothermia, so the steps to eliminate it are less active. If the cause is unknown, but the case is isolated, you can do without calling a doctor at home.

The main task of a parent is to warm their child and maintain blood glucose levels. At low temperatures (between 35 and 33 degrees), the use of artificial heat sources is strictly prohibited. It is enough to cover the child with a blanket and make him hot tea with raspberry jam.



These measures will increase the concentration of glucose and arterial pressure, thereby improving the patient's well-being and normalizing body temperature. It is also allowed to take a spoonful of honey in the absence of an allergy to it, but not more than once a day.

If the temperature drop continues, an ambulance must be called immediately. Independent measures to improve the patient's condition remain the same, drug intervention without a doctor's decision is prohibited.

A critical indicator for a child is 32 degrees. Further, there may be a loss of consciousness, a violation of the heart rhythm, in especially weak children - a coma.

What to do if the temperature drops below 32 degrees

If the matter takes such a serious turn, active measures should be taken to warm the child. It is acceptable to use extraneous heat sources until the ambulance arrives.

If they do not bring the desired effect, rubbing with a soft washcloth or cotton cloth without the use of alcohol is used. Such actions are designed to activate the work of blood vessels and nerve endings, leading to an increase in temperature.

In an emergency, when it is not possible to call an ambulance or take the child to the hospital, you should put him in hot water (no more than 40 degrees) for half an hour. However, regardless of age, leaving a patient with a low temperature alone in the bathroom is not recommended. This will help to avoid such negative consequences as overheating or drowning due to loss of consciousness.

What not to do at low temperatures

Even knowing the methods of treatment and care for hypothermia, a confused person can make a mistake. To avoid this, you must be firmly confident in your actions.

So, if the temperature of the child is lowered, the following is contraindicated:



  • The use of alcohol inside for warming purposes. It suppresses the activity of the higher departments of the central nervous system, which negatively affects the general course of the disease.
  • Placing a child in ice water. In medical practice, this method is recognized as effective for raising the temperature, but only in adults. Such shock therapy can lead to a fatal outcome for a fragile organism.

Effective prevention of low temperature in a child

To avoid this trouble, parents should pay due attention to the work of the immune system of their children.

To do this, you will need to follow a number of standard recommendations:

  • accustom the child to a sports lifestyle;
  • carry out the hardening procedure at least twice a month;
  • expand the diet as much as possible;
  • do not avoid important vaccinations, which, contrary to the opinion of some parents, support immunity and do not allow such a deviation as a low temperature to develop;
  • Allow your child to spend enough time outside.

All these measures will help not only to cope with the above problem, but also keep the body in good shape, so it is undesirable to neglect them in any case.

With a disease, a decrease in body temperature is much less common. This certainly does not mean a serious illness, but still worth paying attention to. For thermoregulation human body responds to the hypothalamus. In addition to the hypothalamus, other organs take part in heat exchange: the spinal cord, adrenal glands, receptors that are located throughout the body, as well as thyroid hormones. Therefore, a decrease in temperature may indicate a malfunction of some organs or tissues. The process of thermoregulation in people of different age categories occurs in different ways.

Why can a child have a low temperature?

  • Most often, a lower temperature can be observed in premature babies, due to the fact that it is slightly more difficult for them to adapt to the environment outside the mother's body (the temperature is slightly below 36.6 degrees).
  • In children under one year old (especially two-month-old children), the process of thermoregulation is still poorly developed. Therefore, if for an adult a slight decrease in temperature on the street is almost not noticeable, then the baby, in comparison with an adult, risks hypothermia.
  • Also, the temperature of the human body tends to change throughout the day. Most often, the temperature drop occurs at night, and especially during deep sleep.
  • During a severe and long illness, due to the weakness of the body, the temperature may be slightly lower.
  • Vitamin deficiency and anemia can be another reason for lowering the temperature, and hypovitaminosis of vitamin C can also be included here.
  • From the description above, you already know that hormones are directly involved in the process of thermoregulation. Therefore, if your child has a problem with the thyroid gland, there is an insufficient production of thyroxine and, as a result, a decrease in temperature. In the same way, the malfunction of the adrenal glands is also displayed on the body.
  • In rare cases, the causes of low temperature include the use of antipyretic drugs.
  • A symptom, a decrease in temperature, in some cases is accompanied by a malignant tumor of the hypothalamus.
  • During the period transitional age teenagers may also experience a slightly lower temperature. During puberty, adolescents experience a large release of hormones into the body. Passion for diets, adolescent girls, depletes the body, as a result, one can observe a lower temperature.
  • Food poisoning leads to a malfunction of metabolic processes, the process of heat transfer is no exception.

When to sound the alarm

If the temperature is 36.0 degrees, there is no need to panic, this does not mean some kind of serious illness. Even in a completely healthy person, the temperature can range from 35.5 to 36.8 degrees, or even all 37. First, make sure that you measure the temperature correctly, that you set the thermometer as it should. See if it's broken. Check if your baby is dressed too lightly.

If a decrease in temperature is accompanied by lethargic behavior, tearfulness, or the child is naughty, does not eat well - this is already a cause for concern. If the temperature is in a low state for 2 days or more, do not waste time - consult a doctor.

Is it possible to normalize the temperature yourself?

If your child is simply overcooled, to raise the temperature to a normal level, it will be enough to dress him warmer, give him hot tea or broth to drink, and put a warm heating pad under his feet. If you are not sure that the temperature has dropped due to hypothermia, it is best not to take any action, call a doctor.

Most often, hypothermia is a consequence of weak immunity. Therefore, to strengthen the body and bring the heat exchange process back to normal, use proven methods: temper your child and give him more vitamins.

Facing elevated temperature in a child, mothers, as a rule, know what needs to be done with this, and perceive this situation with less bewilderment than a decrease in body temperature. How to find out why a child has a low temperature, and what to do in this case? Let's take a closer look below.

How to recognize a drop in temperature

In order to claim that your child has a reduced body temperature, you must first familiarize yourself with the criteria for normal and abnormal. The fact that a child should normally have a body temperature of 36.6, and everything that is lower is already a pathology, is an absolute lie. The formation of normal body temperature is influenced by many factors: the age and gender of the child, the degree of his physical activity, the nature and amount of fluid and food consumed per day. Also, the time of day at which the measurement was taken affects the temperature indicators. Be that as it may, but all doctors are inclined to the same opinion that the child's body temperature should not be below 36.0 degrees.

If during the next measurement, the figure of 36 degrees stubbornly holds on the thermometer scale, then we can safely talk about a low temperature.

Such a sharp decrease in temperature indicators may be the result of hypothermia of the child, and it is not advisable to talk about a more serious pathology in this case. But if this condition becomes permanent, then in this case, the appeal to the doctor should be immediate.

What are the reasons for the drop in temperature?

If your baby has low body temperature for several days, then it is important to understand that such a condition could not arise on its own, and most likely some kind of failure occurred in the child’s body.

To make sure that the child is experiencing a certain malaise, you should observe his behavior, appetite and mood throughout the day. We will discuss in detail below why a child may have a low temperature.

One of the causes of this condition may be congenital hypothermia, although it is quite rare. Such a syndrome can be considered both a norm and a pathology. If a decrease in body temperature to 35.8-35.9 degrees does not have a negative effect on the well-being and general condition of the child, then this is rather a variant of the norm.

Taking antipyretic drugs can serve as an impetus for a sharp decrease in temperature. If the baby’s body, weakened by a viral infection, is affected by antipyretic drugs, then the effect can be quite unexpected. In this case, you should not sound the alarm at all, since the child's body will be able to independently restore normal temperature bodies within a couple of days.

Perhaps the temperature was taken immediately after the morning awakening of the child or during sleep. This can significantly affect the indicators in the direction of decline. It is necessary to measure the temperature while the baby is awake.

Beware of drops! If a child has symptoms of nasal congestion, and in connection with this, special vasoconstrictor drops are used, then this can be one of the reasons for the “strange” body temperature. These are not at all harmless drops that can cause serious consequences, up to loss of consciousness. Before using such remedies, it is important to get a detailed consultation with a doctor, and get acquainted with all possible side effects these drugs.

Another culprit of the low temperature can be a banal virus. Oddly enough, but a preliminary increase in temperature in this case is not observed. With viral infection, low body temperature is maintained at the same level for 4-5 days, and is accompanied by increased drowsiness, apathy, lethargy and loss of appetite.
If the baby took antibiotics on the eve of the temperature drop, it is important to inform the doctor about this in a timely manner for further replacement or complete withdrawal of the drug.

Or maybe the problem is inside? If the child is on the eve of puberty, or takes the first steps in this direction, then a decrease in temperature may indicate the presence of some kind of internal pathology. In this situation, consultation of an endocrinologist and a therapist is mandatory. A sharp decrease in temperature can develop under the means of a malfunction of the thyroid gland, or due to a violation of carbohydrate metabolism (diabetes mellitus).

The kid is tired. In preschool children and especially school age, often, the so-called overwork is formed, associated with an unusual psychological and mental load for them. Adaptation to new conditions, the peer group and the school curriculum is bearing fruit.

As a separate concept, transient hypothermia can be distinguished, which occurs immediately after birth, or in the first hours. This condition is not a pathology, as it is due to the banal adaptation of the baby to environmental conditions. After a short-term decrease, the temperature indicators return to normal without any outside intervention.

The best thing a mother can do at such moments is to put the baby to her breast. This procedure ensures the formation of close contact between the mother and the child, and the warmth of the mother's body will allow the baby to cope with the reduced temperature. Feeding such children should be on demand, as this is the key to the formation of heat production and heat transfer processes.

If we talk about children under the age of 3 years, then the reason for the decrease in body temperature can be the so-called hereditary factor, because it is far from a secret that the features of thermoregulation can be inherited.

The body's immune system may also play a role. Children with reduced immunity often have poor appetite and get tired quickly even from sedentary games. For parents, this is a signal to start activities aimed at strengthening defensive forces child's body.

How can you strengthen your baby's immunity? Of course, the best option at all times there was hardening. The approach to this event should be purely individual. It can be dousing, walking barefoot in the summer, rubbing, going to the pool, and playing outdoors. Before starting hardening, it is necessary to examine the child in order to exclude any pathology, because hardening is an additional burden on the body.

In addition to hardening, a sufficient amount of vital vitamins and trace elements should be present in the child's diet. Fresh vegetables, fruits and berries, as well as natural fruit juices and fruit drinks can serve as a source of all the necessary substances.

When going for a walk, dress the child only according to the weather. Too much wrapping will lead to overheating, and not enough clothing threatens hypothermia. So that the child does not overheat and does not catch a cold, he should have one layer more clothes than an adult.

Watch your child. How long does he sit at the TV screen or computer? Is he getting enough sleep? Chronic overwork and lack of sleep cannot pass without a trace for the child's body. The first alarm signal may be precisely a decrease in body temperature.

Be that as it may, a decrease in body temperature in a child should not be ignored. In most cases, the body is able to cope with this condition on its own, but there are situations when medical assistance is urgently needed. If during the temperature increase the algorithm of the parents' action is clear, then when the temperature drops, it is better not to let the situation take its course.

How to help a child?

If from birth the child is prone to a low temperature, and at the same time does not experience any discomfort, then he does not need additional help from parents and doctors. But if such a condition is accompanied by a number of other symptoms (headache, increased drowsiness), then parents can and even need to take a number of measures aimed at alleviating the child's condition before visiting the doctor. In order for the child to endure the low temperature with the least discomfort, parents should:

  • Calm down, first of all, yourself and not to panic.
  • Measure the temperature again, and preferably with a different thermometer. Sometimes, the thermometer can show a false result.
  • It is necessary to dress the child in warmer clothes.
  • The room in which the baby is located should be free of drafts, and the temperature in the room should not fall below +20 degrees.
  • The bed linen on which the child lies should always be dry.
  • Older children can be wrapped in a blanket or blanket and put a warm heating pad on their feet.
  • The child can be given warm tea.
  • The sleep of the child should last at least 9 hours a day.
  • The daily diet should contain the maximum amount of vegetables, fruits and berries.
  • The time spent by the child at the computer or near the TV should be limited to a minimum.

Low body temperature in newborns is a separate topic, since the fight against it has many nuances. Let us consider in more detail what parents can do in this case, and what it is better to refrain from. So, what is possible and even necessary:

  • It is necessary to have constant skin + skin contact between mother and child. At the same time, both mother and child should be covered with a blanket or blanket.
  • Need to support optimal temperature in the room where the newborn is. For full-term babies, it is +23, for premature babies - +29 degrees.
  • You can use a special thermomattress that will maintain the temperature necessary for the child.
  • If the baby is premature, then it is better to place it in a specially equipped incubator.

And what can not be done:

  • It is strictly forbidden to wipe the baby's body immediately after birth. Any rubdown eliminates the original lubricant, which is one of the links in the immune defense.
  • Do not use all kinds of heaters and heating pads to raise the temperature, because this can lead to burns.

It is important to remember that body temperature in infants is measured exclusively with an electronic thermometer. If the temperature indicators are in the range between 33 and 36 degrees, then we can talk about the presence of hypothermia. In this case, it is necessary to attach the baby to the mother's body or use a special thermal mattress. It is necessary to warm the child until the body temperature returns to normal. Subsequent measurements should be taken every half hour.

The best prevention of hypothermia in newborns is breast-feeding and constant contact with the mother's body.

And most importantly, you should carefully monitor the further condition of the child. Of particular danger is excessive sweating skin on the background of low temperature. In this case, you should pay attention to how your child breathes. If breathing becomes heavy and intermittent, you should immediately call an ambulance. Do not delay visiting a doctor if the child is concerned about the following symptoms:

  • Constant weakness.
  • Increased sleepiness.
  • Decreased or complete lack of appetite.
  • Indifference to games and everything around.
  • If the child has become too capricious.

Of course, first of all, parents need to help the child on their own, but only if they receive further advice from a pediatrician. Attempts to increase the body temperature of a child at home in the presence of one or more of the above symptoms can lead to negative and even irreversible consequences.

Remember that only an attentive attitude to the health of your child is the key to wellness the baby and the peace of mind of his parents.