What kind of Thermometers do you use for taking your kids' temperature. I have one that goes under the tongue, and I feel it is not accurate. Thanks.
Hi! I have a 23 month old and her pediatrician has alway's recommended the ear thermometer, I got mine right up at the local Rite Aid in buchanan. It is in the baby isle and it works great! In fact my husband and I both use a ear thermometer now also.
I just have a store brand (Walgreens or something) arm pit one and it has proven to be very accurate. They do say to add a degree to arm pit temp readings.
I used one that goes under the armpit, like they use at the doctor's office for little kids.
The tongue thermometer is the the most accurate. Next to the arm pit. The ear isn't so accurate event hough alot of physycians do it that way. Have a great aday!
I use a quick read that goes under the arm. Add one degree to get an accurate temp. (I.e. if the therm reads 100, temp is really 101).
Having read a fascinating book, possibly called How to Raise a Healthy Child - in spite of your doctor, by a medical doctor, I learned some important things about temperatures, and fevers.
1. Accuracy is over-rated -- if the child has a fever, it's obvious, and symptoms like listlessness and not being 'themselves' are far more important for diagnosis of critical illness than the number. In fact, seriously dangerous illness may have a fever of only 101, and 104.5 may be quite a mild ailment. Trust your instincts, not the numbers. At one level, temperature is measured in numbers because medical professionals like to have concrete things they can write down: not because it's a particularly important piece of information.
2. Fever is the body's natural response to invasion, and it is a healthy response. Treating fevers for mild ailments is much more likely to create protracted illness with bad side effects, whereas making sure the child is comfortable, hydrated and fed (if hungry) will support the body's pyretic system in doing its job: killing the virus or bacteria by overheating it.
3. Fever (or febrile) seizures are safe. The sudden increase in body temperature may sometimes bring on frightening seizures, but these are not associated with any other seizure disease (not even epilepsy), or any side effects beyond freaking parents out (and sometimes doctors).
4. Under-arm temperature is as accurate as rectal, ear, or oral (supposing you can get the child to keep its mouth closed!) if you add 2 degrees Farenheit to the reading.
5. Body temperature is both personal, and variable. Throughout the day, temperature varies as much as 4 degrees, so an increasing temperature toward the evening is normal, not a symptom of illness -- and should not be treated by any means. Additionally, just like 'normal' pulse rate being 72 has nothing to do with, say, me (mine's 'normal' at 58 -- a considerable difference!) the 'normal' body temperature may happen only very briefly in passing in ANY human body.
6. 98.6 is not 'normal' body temperature... it is an inaccurate conversion of 'normal' 37.3 Centigrade which for some reason got rounded down, then converted. 'Normal' is over 99 -- supposing that 'normal' has anything to do with your child.
So, when my kids were ill, I did the old, accurate 'hand on forehead then cheek' thing that demonstrates that, yes, their body temperature was up. Then I did what I always did with a sick child -- offered lots of fluids and camped out at home until it passed. I noticed that a high fever was associated with terribly bad breath (we called it 'breathing fire') and pale faces with bright red circles on their cheeks. If they were seriously ill, they also looked greenish or orangy around their mouth or eyes.
The book (whatever it was called) also alerted me to the risks in giving antibiotics often, particularly when they wouldn't work anyhow (viruses aren't damaged by them, only bacteria are), so I always insisted on a swab to ensure that we were only using them when it was actually going to make a difference.
I just heard on the news that this was the best way to take a temperature for your children's ages.
But they said to wait 20 minutes to take a temperature if the child has drank anything hot or cold or this will give a bad reading.
I have the Exergen temporal artery one that I love. It takes the temp SO fast. I find it very accurate. Just make sure that you know each family member's "healthy" temp because it is not exactly the same scale as using an underarm or under the tongue one. It is very close, though, my healthy is 97.7. You can get a really good deal on it at Costco now, too. Or Babies R Us has it. It is supposed to be as accurate or more than rectal, so I would say that is pretty good!!
S.,
I use a Braun ear thermometer. It is fast and easy. I check both ears to get an accurate reading. If your child has an ear infection, the side that has the infection will not give you an accurate reading. J.
I use a digital thermemter under the arm...my ped told me to add a degree if I take it under the arm. I have tried an ear thermemeter and found it to very inaccurate. You have to get the angle just right to get a good reading. My old ped (good Dr we moved) used the tempral artery thermometer by Braun and loved it. He found that it was more accurate to scan the artery behind the ear instead on the forhead. Good luck on your quest.
Wow...interesting advice to say the least. First off, febrile seizures can be extremely dangerous and fevers high enough to cause them can cause brain damage. Don't be fooled by people 'playing doctor' and telling you not to treat a high fever. Your doctor knows exactly when you should be alarmed by the temp. and when it's prob. benign....trust them! (I can only assume you already know all this since you didn't ask, but I must correct false medical advice.) On the flip side of that, a low fever is doing exactly what it should, killing invading germs via heat. It's not necessarily harmful to the child, but it certainly is uncomfortable!
Now to your question, yes, you do need to know the number! I would advise you buy a new digital thermometer and read the insert. It will tell you the best way to take a temp. with that particular brand and what to add/subtract to get an accurate reading. It IS different depending on where the temp is taken and you can't just add an arbitrary number. As you probably know since you are asking about accuracy, one number off CAN make a big difference!
~L.
Channel 4 news just did a story on this last night. Here is the link to the story on their website. You actually reminded me I wanted to check it out.
I have a Vicks digital thermometer and use it under the arm pit. It is just as accurate as my dr's office. I took it in when she was having a fever and checked right after they did and got the exact same number. Vivks also sells on that can be used orally, under the arm and rectally. It automatically adjusts the temp for each situation, I just bought it, but have not been able to play with it yet.
