Thermometers

[rani]

We’ve all been sick this last month with throat infections and really high fevers. D's fever went as high as 103 on a couple of occasions. To check temps we use one of those Braun Ear Thermoscans and you never get the same reading twice. Just wondering what everyone else uses.

 

[barbwong_130]

Until SARS I had managed perfectly well to bring three children up without a thermometer in the house. When my children were sick it was obvious from the other symptoms that they were ill and so unnecessary to have an actual temperature reading. For doctors I can understand the need to rely on an objective instrument but for mothers, who know the child well, I think that the other symptoms and the change in the child?s normal behaviour are a better indication of how sick the child is.

Now I have a digital thermometer because I have to take my youngest?s temperature everyday in order for her to be allowed into school. It seems to vary between 35.9?C and 36.3?C.

I also am a firm believer in an extra day off school once they are better for my children to convalesce. I think it is important to send a child back to school in tip top condition because they usually have a full day and an extra load of homework to deal with. I learnt this by experience, my elder daughter returned to soon to school a couple of times which just resulted in a relapse and another couple of days off later in the week.

Barb

 

[ICmom]

I have a bevy of those useless things. Can you tell I'm a little irate? They all give different readings, very frustrating. REcently when my son was very sick I found the most reliable one to be this little strip that you stick on the head for 15 seconds. It's not supposed to be v. reliable but it beat the ear jobs!

 

[loupou]

We use both the ear themometer and the old-fashioned mercury one.

The ear themometer for when the kid's schools required a temperature chart every day (quicker).

The old-fashioned kind when I want an accurate reading. The kids are now old enough to take it properly.

 

[pragya]

hi...what my doctor told me abt this thermoscan ear thermometer and for digital one that we just want to know approx. temparature...and he said wht does this matter whether its 102 or 103....ultimately we have to take the kid to doc. ........even i want same accurate temp.......but when he said this than i did not care much for the accuracy.

 

[MickeyMom]

I use the Braun Thermoscan. Temp readings vary a bit but if you take about 2-3 times, you can actually see an average and can easily tell if the child has fever or not.

 

[newbies]

Braun Ear Thermoscan. Thought it is useful and lot easier to use for baby n toddler who can't sit still waiting for the reading. I only use the reading as a guide (was told by a paed that the ear reading is higher by 2-3 C degree than that of the traditional one).

 

[Sleuth]

For newborns in the US they are telling us to use a digital thermometer under the armpit and add a degree. We have one of those forehead thermometers and the medical people here don't know enough about them. We try to use both so we can see if the forehead tracks the digital. Luckily we haven't really had many opportunities to do this.

 

[capital]

the ear thermometers are not meant for babies, you cannot get an accurate reading as they are so small you cannot get a good seal and the right angle to take a measurement. I use a plain jane digital under the arm thermometer. Actually I rarely use one anymore. Afterawhile you can tell if your child is fine, has a mild fever, or a bad fever by touching them. I only use it if I think they have a bad fever to see if i AM RIGHT or wrong

 

[Konradsmom]

I have 1 digital, 2 ear thermometers and 1 old fashioned mercury ones. I have the same issues with erractic readings, but I still rely on the ear ones, since bubs can't sit still for his reading and thats the only way we can get some sort of reading from him.

What is this thing , huh? I have not been feeling very since March - is it the weather or just me?

 

[Neha]

Just bought the Braun ear thermometer as our ped suggested it. She has a chart which gives us the temperatures reading using ear, anal, oral thermometers as each will give u a different reading

 

[Buckeroo]

We have the Braun Thermoscan. Same here with erratic readings, but they don't differ by a mile, just a few decimal points or so and we just take the average.

 

[southside852]

In London, they say you should not even need to use a thermometer for the first 6 months. you just feel the baby's back and you know instantly if he/she is heating up. We bought an ear one anyways and I hate it. It's hard to stick in my now 1 yr old's ear and when I took him into the doctor's in Central, the doctor just stuck up the good old fashion one in his little butt which I still think is the most accurate.

 

[jelita78]

same here..
me using Braun Ear Thermoscan too..
very quick and reliable