Thermometers

We have the Exergen Temporal Scanner Thermometer. You just swipe across the kid's forehead, it works great. It is really nice, because you can use it on a sleeping kid. I bought it online at costco.com. I can't remember the cost, maybe $30 or $35. But, it is worth it for the convenience.

I also received an ear thermometer while I was pregnant. It fits in my son's ear ok but I was told by his doctor that they aren't very accurate. I use an under arm thermometer that works great.

Hi L.,
I am an R.N. and have read so many studies about the inaccuracies of the "ear thermometers." I haven't read much about the "forehead thermometers," but guess that they have many of the same problems that the ear thermometers have. Stick with the digital thermometers and remember that rectal temperatures are always the most accurate. The general rule of thumb is that a rectal temp.s read approximately one degree higher than the actual temperature...so if you get a reading of 101.0 F. the actual temperature is 100.0 F. Good luck.
B.

I recieved a ear thermometer when I was pregnant. The darn thing never fit in my baby's ear til she was around 3 or 4 yrs.old and doesn't work accurately. You can take your temp. 3x in a row and get 3 different answers. I really like the cheap digital under the tongue or in the armpit ones. They seem to be accurate and consistant. They are so cheap I have several scattered throughout the house.

I use a Braun ear thermometor. It's called Thermoscan exact temp. I think it's about between 40 and 60..but I can't remember exactly how much. I feel it's worth the money. The thermometor will not take the temperature if the it's not lines up to see the eardrum and there are several read outs that tell you if there is an error and it's not hard to understand if you read the owners manual. I've tested it several times on myself and my husband and It's correct to what the oral thermometors say for us. I just believe you're not supposed to use these ear thermometers on children under the age of 6 months.

Go for the old trusty digital thermometor. Ask most dr's and they will say the ear thermometor and forhead thermometors are not as percise as the old trusty ones. We went through this one night when I ran my son to urgent care with a temp of 103 that I couldn't break and when the dr took his temp it was 105, warrented a stay in the hospital. In the end I felt bad for not having a reliable thermomitor, and did all the beat yourself up things us mom's do. Good luck!
S. in Eau Claire

I've used an ear thermometer for years, and my docs also use them and say they are very accurate, as long as you read the directions. The normal temps are different for different ages, so make sure you read the manual to see what the normal temp is for your child's age. Forehead and underarm measurements tend to be inaccurate, as the only thing better than the ear thermoter I've heard is rectal--and who wants to do that!? lol
Good luck to you! :)

I use Vicks and heard the scan over the forehead as being okay but nothing is accurate it seems. I'd do the forehead if I had to pick between the forehead or ear. I just go with the basic though and use it under the arm pit and add 1.2 degrees to that temp.

I have an across the forehead one, and it worked great on my son when he was an infant, not so great now that he is a toddler with a mind of his own :)

I hope it will be more useful when he is a bit older and can understand the process better.

Jess