what should the temp. be for a five week old baby? My son had a temp. of 99.6 to 99.9 for the past 3 days?

Question

He also sleeping alot more than before, could this be a growth spurt? what i mean is he is sleeping all day and all night with very little awake time, just enough to eat. I am going to call the doctor today when they open, but i would like to get some advice from others.

My son is not swaddled and we keep the house temp at 82. He does have a small cough and his nose is a little stuffy.

Answer 1

A rectal temperature, which is how a baby's temp should be taken, is approximately 1 degree higher than an oral temperature. Normal temperature is 98.6 so 99.6 - 99.9 is a perfectly normal rectal temperature. In the first 3 months of life, a baby's sleep patterns go through some changes. If he is eating OK and not fussy, he may just need a little extra sleep right now. Sometimes babies seem to have little colds. Use a small humidifier in his sleeping area to help his breathing stay hydrated if his nose seems to be stuffy.

Answer 2

I am not sure for a 5 week old but my son at age 4 was running a temp around 103-104 and they told me to just give him something to reduce the fever they said not worry until it hit 105 but I would think with your child only being 5 weeks that you should defininty call the doctor just to make sure as for the sleeping part this may be his bodies way of ridding off any innfection that he might be getting such as a cold or the flu with the seasons changing right now that could denifinty be possible! I hope that everything is okay and that he grows strong and healthly! Best of luck

Answer 3

how did you take his temp? If you took it rectally, you should always subtract a degree. If this is the case, his temp. is actually 98.6, which is normal. However, coughing and a stuffy nose are not. with a baby so young, you really should take him to see his pediatrician. Something as simple as a mild cold for you or I could turn into RSV to him. RSV, if not treated properly, can ultimately lead to death.

Also, keep your house cooler. It should be between 68 and 72 degrees--82 is a bit high, and SIDS studies have shown that warm interiors can be a risk.

Answer 4

Anything is possible. If he does not show signs of infection I would consider the temp normal. Your temp can change with the clothes and weather. You are also warmer at night then during the day. He is still young and may need a little more time for his body to get used to adjusting his temp. If you are truely concerned he has an illness or infection, then I would call your pediatrition.

Answer 5

Definitely call the pedi - low grade temps lasting that long could be an indication of an infection starting to brew. He's way too young for it to be teething, and growth spurts are not normally accompanied by fevers.

Answer 6

Every baby is diffrent for my son that temp was normal. But if you are worried call his doctor and ask. My sons doctor got to know me very well in his first year. I called about everything.

Answer 7

Make sure to call your doctor, but my babies tended to run higher when they were very young. He may be going through a growth spurt, which could explain him sleeping more than ususal. Everything is probably ok, but check with your doctor anyways.

Answer 8

While the temp of a baby is normaly a bit higher, when in doubt, you should always consult your doctor.

Answer 9

I would give the doc a call, just because baby is still so new to this world. He might just be trying to get into a cycle of sleeping and he is growing.

Answer 10

ur baby was between 100-105 in the womb, 96-99 is normal their little body is still tryin to adjust to the outside world. soon ur baby basal core temperature will get stablized.