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AIBU?

what does low body temp mean?? DD 35.5...advice please

59 replies

Champersonice · 03/05/2011 23:36

What does it mean to have low body temperature? My DD (3) awoke saying she was cold with sore throat and stomach pains. She felt cold to the touch. Her thermoscan temp was 35.7 - gave her paracetamol - fifteen mins later temp was 35.5...what does it mean?? She is normally 36.5 and has never been below that. Any advice greatly received.

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squeakytoy · 03/05/2011 23:39

that is quite low. I would call NHS direct for some proper medical advice. Keep her wrapped up and warm.

keepingupwiththejoneses · 03/05/2011 23:41

GP told me that 35-37 is quite normal.

Champersonice · 03/05/2011 23:42

Am talking to them now -she is now 35.3!!!

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squeakytoy · 03/05/2011 23:42

sorry, pressed post too early.

It isnt exceptionally low though, and the paracetamol may have caused it to drop that extra bit. Just keep an eye on her and if it carries on dropping, then definately get her checked out.

bubbleymummy · 03/05/2011 23:44

I think the body temp can drop to fight illness just as it can rise - it's something to do with creating a hostile environment that the virus/bacteria can't survive in. My DS2 gets low temps sometimes - it's very strange. I usually get into bed with him and snuggle us both up until it rises up a bit. Maybe a hot water bottle would help too. How is she behaving? Manuka honey is good for sore throats - or just ordinary honey and a warm drink which would also help to warm her up.

lulalullabye · 03/05/2011 23:59

Her temp is ok. That is not a temperature to worry about. As said earlier the paracetamol will have brought it down. As regards to sore throat and tummy ache, often the tummy ache goes hand in hand with the sore throat. Also rashes that are caused by the viral infection. Just keep an eye and take to docs if temp really high.

Champersonice · 03/05/2011 23:59

Gone down to 35.2 - NHS Direct seem to think she is ok and told me to put the thermometer down and trust my hand for her body temp. I don't know...I feel a little happier having spoken to them but still a bit worried (or should that read paranoid??)

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Champersonice · 04/05/2011 00:02

Thanks for posts. I think the reason I got concerned is due to the fact I have experienced many times her having a high temp but never low. I am not sure I even know what a low temp means?? I did think it was probably related to the sore throat and stomach pains - she probably is coming down with something and it so happens that her temp is dropping as opposed to rising. Oh dear, this parenting lark is a bit too much on the old stress levels at times, isn't it?

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IgnoringTheChildren · 04/05/2011 00:12

Scan thermometers aren't actually reading your core body temp and can be a bit unreliable, although they are usually a pretty good indication of temp for hot-headed little ones. My scan thermometer often doesn't register a temp for me at all (only does temps higher than 33 I think - I know that my core temp has not dropped that low!) and has occasionally read low for my DSs.

Hope that your DD feels better soon.

Champersonice · 04/05/2011 09:43

Thanks. Just to let you know, her temp kept dropping but NHS Direct were not alarmed and said not to worry. Typical as kids are though; this morning she was right as rain and as if nothing had ever happened. Keeps me on my toes though...

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bamboobutton · 04/05/2011 09:51

my temp seems to go down when i'm ill. i can be feeling like death and the thermometer says 34degrees.

my temp has gone over 38d only a few times and that was when i had flu and a cold bad enough to seem like flu.

my normal body temp is about 35.5. i've googled to see if this means anything(anemia etc.) and lots of other people seem to get low temps too.

Bogeyface · 04/05/2011 09:57

bamboo...

do you have problems with your temp with doctors?

My normal temp is about 35.5 too and when I went to the doctors with a suspected infection it was 37.5. I told the doctor that that was high for me but he said no, it was perfectly normal and I had no infection.

Except I did and had to wait another few days of feeling like death before someone would believe me that I did, for me, have a temperature.

zeno · 04/05/2011 09:58

Not to be alarmist, but I strongly encourage you to get your dd seen if her temp is still 35ish.

If her hands and feet become abnormally cold you should get her seen urgently.

Both these may be signs of shock from an illness that may have few or no other obvious symptoms. 35.something is a worryingly low temp and she needs to be seen.

deardoctor · 04/05/2011 10:02

Mine is 35.5 all the time. Bogeyface - I was in hospital after my waters broke and my temp was creeping towards 38, I told them about a million times I had an infection and they wouldn't bloody listen until I was really really unwell - it still never climbed above 38.5!

belgo · 04/05/2011 10:02

It means she is cold or the thermometer isn;t accurate.

I wouldn't worry about her temperature, but look at her and see how she is in herself.

Is she feeling any better? Has she eaten anything?

I wouldn't give any more paracetamol if she had stomach pains.

NeverKissPigs · 04/05/2011 10:03

Sorry, what thermometer are you using? I'm not sure what a thermoscan is?

NHS are right that you should be led by how she feels against your normal temp. It's possible that your thermometer (whatever it is) is broken. I think ear ones are fairly accurate, oral quite good and if underarm you add a degree to whatever it says. Any forehead type strip thing is about as useful as a piece of litmus paper.

I'm glad she's much better today. Worrying when they do that late at night, no idea what's up but something is thing.

Champersonice · 04/05/2011 10:06

Thanks for concern zeno. I was of the same mind - wondering whether it was something more serious but as I said, the nurse at NHS Direct was not alarmed at all. No other dangerous symptons and the main thing is, the back of her neck was warm, her breathing was rythmic and stable and she was not drowsy. Although, it was a low reading for my DD, I was assured that it wasn't too low. She was fine this morning so I will just keep an eye on her.

I really appreciate all the posts. Many thanks to you all.

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NeverKissPigs · 04/05/2011 10:06

They don't like people outside the norm do they? DH has a resting heartrate of 42ish and they look at him like he's halfway to a coma. In fact he's just super fit. If his resting heartrate was 60, he would be ill but they wouldn't accept it. Similarly, I have a low bp and they flap and worry when it's reading low and won't believe me if it goes up in pregnancy. But my regular gp is unconcerned having known me (and all the women in my family who are exactly the same) for years.

MrsSchadenfreude · 04/05/2011 10:06

My normal body temperature is around 35.5 too. (I have low body temperature, low blood pressure and a slow heartbeat!) I have been feeling really ill with some gastric bug for the past few days as my temperature has been around 39.5. Which is high by anyone's standards, but especially so for me.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 04/05/2011 10:06

My normal temp is also 35.5, I also have very low blood pressure and have been told the two often go hand in hand.

Glad to hear your dd is on the mend op.

Georgimama · 04/05/2011 10:06

My temperature if taken with an ear thermometer rarely rises above 36. It is usually about 35.6. 38.5 would be a really high temperature for me. For DS who runs a bit hotter 38.5 wouldn't be a concern.

If you are using forehead strips ditch them and get a digital ear one.

Georgimama · 04/05/2011 10:07

I also have low blood pressure - at 27 weeks pregnant and 2 stone overweight it is still only 110/60. Interesting to know there is a link.

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belgo · 04/05/2011 10:08

Neverkisspigs - a resting heart rate of 42 is low and needs to be checked out, even in someone who is super fit.

NeverKissPigs · 04/05/2011 10:13

DH has always had a resting heartrate of around 45, sometimes slightly lower, sometimes slightly higher but always in the 40s. He has had it checked out (and recently after an accident as they were concerned, not realising it's the norm for him). He is nothing but healthy.

His regular GP, trainers etc are not in the least bit concerned. He cycles 25 miles to work daily (and back), swims 4 times a week, runs 3 times and does resistance training twice. He does regular triathlons/half marathons. He IS just fit. His training partner's is 41. They're both completely mad.

At the peak of fitness, Lance Armstrong's resting heart rate was 32 you know.

MrsSchadenfreude · 04/05/2011 10:13

My resting heart rate is usually around 60. It dropped to around 40 when I was in hospital once and they slapped a heart monitor on me.

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