Low temperature??

I'm worried because Matthew's temperature seems low. It's now 35.6 degrees. I'm using a digital ear thermometer. My temp is 37.3. He feels cool to touch as well. Should I be calling the doctor? Taking him to hospital?

Help please!

Is he otherwise well?

Ear thermometers can be quite inaccurate in little babies unless your technique is spot-on. And usually, high temperatures are more of a concern than low ones - low temperatures almost always mean the thermometer wasn't quite in the right place.

He had his 4 month immunisation needles on Friday and I've been keeping a close eye on him. He was very grizzly this morning and screaming. I ended up giving him 0.9ml baby Panadol and he settled after a feed and is now sleeping. His skin feels cool to touch, too.

I think it will probably be okay, based on what you've told me.

It is sometimes quite difficult to assess a baby's temperature based on feel, especially as it is not uncommon for them to have warm or cool extremities. The best way to feel is to feel their chest or back. Ear thermometers are also quite hard to use accurately at this age.

I would check their temperature again when they wake up, and throw another blanket on in the mean-time, as long as they are otherwise well. If he develops any other problems - vomiting, a rash, fevers, shivering or chills, difficulty breathing - then get him checked out. But at the moment, it sounds like he was just grumpy this morning after his immunisations and has settled down a bit now.

Thanks, Michael. Last time he had needles he had a moderately high temperature of 37.5 so I thought it was strange that his temperature this time around should be low. Thanks for the tip, too, re: ear thermometers. I thought they were supposed to be very accurate. It was certainly expensive enough!