Question
The body temperature of a three-year-old child has been around 37.5 degrees Celsius for two days now, accompanied by mild diarrhea and feverishness in the limbs and abdomen. In the past, such symptoms were usually associated with high fever. What could this be now?
Answer
A body temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius does not necessarily indicate a low fever; this range is considered normal. Generally, the normal oral temperature for adults is between 36.5 to 37.2 degrees Celsius, while armpit temperature is typically 0.3 to 0.6 degrees Celsius lower than oral temperature, and rectal temperature is usually 0.3 to 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than oral temperature. Body temperature fluctuates throughout the day, usually being lowest between 2 to 5 AM and highest between 5 to 7 PM, but the difference within a day should be less than 1 degree Celsius. Additionally, women’s body temperatures are generally about 0.3 degrees Celsius higher than men’s.