| Frequent fevers
Question : MY five-month-old daughter frequently has fever. Her body temperature is
usually around 36°C. Is this normal? Besides this, her stool is not yellow
but a little dark and watery. Is this also normal?
Answer : Normal human body temperature is around 37°C. The body
temperature of children can rise or fall according to the time of day. Body
temperature is usually high between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon and low
before sunrise. If the thermometer reading is only 36°C, this means your
daughter is not feverish but her temperature is below normal. You should
ensure that your thermometer is still giving accurate readings. If a child
below the age of one is frequently hot to the touch, we will need to observe
her to find the cause of the fever. Urinary tract infection is one cause
that is commonly overlooked. This can be ascertained through tests on baby's urine.
The colour and texture of baby's stool is subject to several factors,
especially the type of milk baby is being fed (breast milk only, formula
milk, or both). Baby stool should look more watery than adult stool and
parents often mistake their baby's healthy stool for diarrhoea. If you are
still worried about this, bring your baby to the doctor for a full examination.
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