What is a normal forehead temperature

Fever is one of the symptoms of COVID-19. Even if your symptoms are mild, get tested for COVID-19 immediately — use the fever Symptom Checker if you're not sure what to do.

What is a fever?

You probably have a fever if your temperature is 38°C or higher.

A normal temperature is around 36-37°C, although it depends on your age, what you’ve been doing, the time of day and how you take the measurement.

A high temperature can be caused by:

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the fever Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What should I do when I have a fever?

If you have a high temperature there are several things you can do to help manage the condition:

• it's important to stay well hydrated so drink plenty of clear non-alcoholic fluids
• ice blocks or iced drinks may be soothing
• wear lightweight clothing and avoid using blankets, doonas or quilts in bed as this may make you too hot and increase your temperature
• keep the room at a comfortable temperature
• rest and avoid heavy activity until your symptoms go away
• avoid cold baths or sponging — this can actually make you or your child feel more uncomfortable
• see your doctor if your fever doesn't go away or you are concerned

If you are caring for a sick child, go here for information about fever and high temperature in children or view this infographic.

What are the best fever medicines?

There is no need to take medicines for fever unless you are experiencing discomfort.

If you are experiencing discomfort, consider:

Before taking any medicine, you should check that it's safe to take them:

• with any medical conditions that you may have
• with any other medicines that you are taking
• if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

You can do this by reading the information leaflet inside the packet or asking a pharmacist.

If a child under 5 has a fever but isn't showing any signs of distress, the best advice is not to give them any medicine. Talk to your doctor or visit the Choosing Wisely Australia website for more information.

How do I take someone's temperature?

You can take someone's temperature quickly and easily using a thermometer. Make sure the thermometer is clean and read the manufacturer's instructions first.

You can buy a thermometer from a chemist or supermarket.

We recommend using a digital thermometer if available. Digital thermometers can be used to take someone's temperature from either armpit.

When taking an armpit reading:

• Put the thermometer directly against the skin under the arm.
• Hold the arm gently against the body.

Check the manufacturer's instructions to find out how long you need to leave the thermometer in place.

Taking a child’s temperature

If you’re taking a child’s temperature, stay with them during the reading and put the thermometer away afterwards so they do not play with it.

What types of thermometer are there?

Ear thermometers

Ear thermometers are quick and easy to use, but they are expensive, and may not be accurate if the thermometer is not correctly placed in the ear. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to find out how to place the thermometer in the ear and how long the reading will take.

Strip-type thermometers

Strip-type thermometers, which you hold on the person’s forehead, are not an accurate way of taking their temperature.

Mercury-in-glass thermometers

Mercury-in-glass thermometers are no longer used in hospitals, and are not available to buy. They can break, releasing small shards of glass and highly poisonous mercury. You should not use mercury thermometers. If anyone is exposed to mercury, seek medical advice quickly by calling the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

When should I see my doctor?

See a doctor right away if your child has a fever and they are under 3 months, or if they are getting sicker, are drowsy and unresponsive, seem dehydrated or won’t drink, are vomiting, have a stiff neck or seem very distressed.

Adults with a fever should see a doctor straight away if they have a severe headache, sensitivity to bright light, unusual skin rash, stiff neck, vomiting, confusion, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, a seizure or confusion.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

The use of forehead thermometers has increased because they are easy to operate, and it is possible to take a reading without any contact between people. However, they may be less accurate than other thermometers, such as oral or ear thermometers, particularly if people do not use them properly.

Forehead thermometers provide a quick and sterile way to assess an individual’s temperature. They useinfraredsensors to measure temperature. They may be easier to use than other thermometers with children and when assessing large groups of people quickly.

This article examines the accuracy of forehead thermometers compared with other types of thermometers. It also looks at how forehead thermometers work, how to use them, and the best way to take a person’s temperature.

How accurate are they?

For general use at home, forehead thermometers will give an idea of whether or not an individual has a fever.

However, according to a 2020 study, forehead thermometers areless accuratethan other methods of reading temperature, such as oral, rectal, or tympanic (ear) temperature readings.

The environment in which a person uses a forehead thermometer can also affect its accuracy, according to theFood and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA writes that a draft, direct sunlight, or a radiant heat source could affect the temperature reading and make it inaccurate.

The reading could also be inaccurate if a person has been wearing a head wrap or headband before taking it or if they have sweat or dirt on their forehead.

A2013 studycomparing forehead and ear thermometers found that both devices returned lower readings than rectal thermometers.

The authors discovered that the difference between the two types of thermometers was particularly notable for forehead thermometers. They concluded that forehead thermometers are not ideal for use in a hospital setting and pediatric practice.

What are they, and how do they work?

Forehead thermometers use infrared sensors to pick up on infrared radiation that the body produces. Although infrared radiation is not visible, a person may be able to feel it as heat.

A person can take someone’s temperature with a forehead thermometer by holding the thermometer a few centimeters away from the center of their forehead, just above the eyebrows. The exact positioning will depend on the manufacturer’s instructions.

A lens inside the thermometer focuses infrared radiation that the person emits onto a thermopile, which is a small electronic device that converts the infrared radiation into heat and then again into electricity.

The thermometer measures this electrical reading and displays the result on the screen of the thermometer.

In the United States, thermometers will usually display the temperature in °F. In many other countries, thermometers will display the temperature in °C.

It will only take a person a few seconds to take a temperature reading with a forehead thermometer.

Comparison with other thermometers

Studies using children have investigated the accuracy of different types of thermometers.

One comparisonstudyof rectal, ear, and forehead thermometers in a hospital setting found that ear thermometers were much more likely to detect fever than forehead thermometers. A rectal temperature reading confirmed cases of fever, and the authors recommended rectal temperature readings for exact measurements of temperature.

Anotherstudyfound that the difference between ear thermometer measurements and forehead thermometer measurements ranged from 2.1–2.2°C (3.78–3.96°F) across two experiments.

The authors of this 2020 study concluded that using a forehead thermometer to screen large groups of people for fever quickly is acceptable. However, they also wrote that forehead thermometers might not be the most suitable way to determine accurate body temperature measurements when compared with ear thermometers.

What is the most accurate way to take a person’s temperature?

The general advice is to avoid using a glass thermometer. According to the National Capital Poison Center, glass thermometers can cause injury if the glass breaks. Additionally, some glass thermometers contain liquid mercury, which is toxic to humans.

If a person comes into contact with mercury from a thermometer, they should seek medical attention immediately. They should also get advice from a poison control center so they can safely clean up the spillage.

For an infant or small child, themost accurateway to obtain an accurate temperature is with a rectal thermometer.

To do this, a person should place petroleum jelly on the bulb of a rectal thermometer. Then they should lay the infant or child on their back, with their legs in the air. Children can also lie face-down.

The person should then spread the infant or child’s buttocks and insert the bulb of the thermometer 0.5–1 inch into the rectum.

The person should remove the thermometer after 3 minutes or when the thermometer beeps to finish the reading.

For adults, or children who can hold a thermometer in their mouth, oral temperatures are the most accurate.

To measure temperature orally, a person should insert the probe end of the thermometer underneath the tongue and close the mouth. The person can use their lips to hold the thermometer in place.

They should then leave the thermometer in place for 3 minutes or until it beeps.

How to use a forehead thermometer

According to theFDA, there are a few steps to take prior to using a forehead thermometer:

• reading the manufacturer’s instructions
• being aware that environmental factors can alter the reading (including drafts, direct sunlight, and temperatures below 60°F or higher than 104°F)
• placing the thermometer in the testing environment for 10–30 minutes prior to testing so it can adjust
• ensuring the testing area of the forehead is clean, dry, and easily accessible

To use the forehead thermometer, a person should hold the sensing area perpendicular to the forehead at the distance that the manufacturer recommends.

A person should then hold the thermometer steady and ask the subject to stay still to take their temperature.

Some models will have lights to guide the person on where to aim the sensor. A person should then press a button to start the reading and wait until the device beeps or flashes the temperature reading on a screen. This should only take a few seconds.

A person should not touch the sensor and must keep it clean and dry.

Summary

Forehead thermometers have become a popular option to scan large numbers of people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forehead thermometers can quickly return a temperature result and do not require any contact between people. They have good levels of accuracy, and a person can use a forehead thermometer at home.

However, other forms of temperature readings, including oral, rectal, and ear readings, may provide greater accuracy and be more suitable for use in hospital settings.

To ensure they get the most accurate reading, a person should read the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure the forehead is clean and free of hair or headwear in the measurement area.

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