What is the best thermometer for a newborn? This is my first baby. I thought it was a rectal thermometers? Now, I see pacifiers with thermometers as well as ear thermometers. Any info is greatly appreicated. Thanks, A.
I like the temporal thermometers. it only takes a second or two to read and you just rub it across their forehead.
The ear thermometers are tricky because you have to tug on the ear to straighten the ear canal a little when taking the temp - hard with a wiggler! The temporal (forehead) ones can be tricky to get an accurate reading on too. Rectal is the most recomended, for accuracy and ease.
I have both a rectal and a forehead thermometer on hand. I use the forehead as a baseline to get an idea as to where the fever is but it is always off by a 1/2 to 1 degree. If his fever starts to get higher I use the rectal a the temp to tell the dr. The forehead is much eaiser so it is the one I use the most often but if it starts to look like a serious fever I use the rectal to know exactly what we are dealing with. All that said my little guy is almost 8 months old and we have not had to use it much.
Just get a plain old digital thermometer and put it in his/her armpit. Add a degree to whatever the reading is, and that's what their temp. is. Don't waste your money on those gimicky things. None of them are as accurate.
the ear ones are not recommended for infants because the infants' ears are too small so the reading will not be accurate. The forehead thermometer can give inaccurate readings due to user error. The pacifier ones are also not accurate.
Basically, the armpit one is okay, but add one degree to the reading to give a comparison to regular body temp. Also, rectal is best but a normal RECTAL temp is 99.6. I think it would be best to double check these things with your pediatrician, but that is what my own pediatrician has always told me. And when ever you call the doctor and report a fever, make sure you let them know where on the body you took the temperature so they can be objective about the reading.
I had always used digital in the armpit, UNTIL my then 8 week old spiked a serious fever and guess what - nurse at my doctor's call center said "Take it rectally or else it isn't accurate."
For what it is worth, I haven't done it that way since. I use a head scanner like my pedi now. But boys are much older.
I agree with Rebecca.
I never seem to get accurate readings with the ear and forehead thermometers and while the rectal is a little more involved, it is worth it. Also, I assume doctors would be fine with doing rectal if it wasn't for hygiene reasons at the doctor's office. I have an armpit one for my husband and I and a rectal one for my little boy.
Yes, the most accurate thermometer is a rectal thermometer.
I absolutely HATE the temporal thermometers!! We had one at the daycare I used to work at and it never took the same reading twice (for example...on the same child, it would read 97.6, and 101 just a few minutes later). No one liked it, but for some reason the director said that's what we had to use. For infants, I like the rectal thermometer. It's the most accurate, and what my pedi recommends.
they are kind of expensive as far as thermometers go but i love the temporal. it is so quick and you can get the baby's temp while he/she is sleeping. i got mine at babies r us but i saw them recently for a good price at costco in west plano.
You have to use a thermometer in the rectom for an infant, not in the armpit, as Bethany said, if you donot take it in the rectum, it will be inaccurate and could have your child in serious danger! You can use a regular thermometerin the rectum, but I reccemmend the special rectal thermometer for babies that they sell at Target and babies r us, it is shaped so that you can't possibly stick it in there too far and possibly harm their insides! Makes it easy when you have a squirmy baby!
I always used a digital rectal thermometers when my boys were infants. Now I have the Exergen forehead thermometer and that is what my Pedi uses and also what my neighbor used with her premi.
Good Luck!
E.
I'd go rectal or armpit... they recommended that in the baby-care class my husband and I took- the ear ones are too tricky and the forehead and paci ones aren't as accurate.
Good luck!
The Dr.s do not recomend rectal thermometers. Use an ear one or an under the arm one, that is what DR.s are using. I use the ear one, they are fast and the baby does not have to sit there long. Just take 2 or 3 readings in each ear to get an average temp. Sometimes if the thermometer is not sitting right it will not read right
