Which Thermometer Works for Your Kids?

I too love the exergen. It's all I ever used on my first child. Quick and easy. AND when we took her to the emergency room after she broke her arm, they used the exact same one there. They didn't even run it over her forehead. They just stuck it up to her temple. It's not the recommended way to do it, but since they did, I now just put it up to her temple. I tested it a few times and got the exact same read sliding it across or just putting it to her temple. My son is 7 weeks old and it's all I use on him too.

Usually when you call the doctor they ask how you took the temp. Each way of taking a temp produces temps that are concerning at different limits.

exergen thermometer (forehead) best for small kids you just run it across the forehead and theres no fighting the squirmy baby/toddler=)

Hi H.,

We got this at home. I attached the link. we got it from Costco.
It works great for us because we get to take my daughter's temperature at night even if she is sleeping and not wake her up.

I know there are some who said this is not as accurate but supposedly according to my husband, this is different. Don't sure how. I trust him 100%. Anyway when my daughter had a fever and we took her to Kaiser, they took the temperature from the forehead as well.

If you are unsure about its reliability, you can always check with the doctor.

Hope this helps.

http://www.amazon.com/Exergen-Temporal-Artery-Thermometer...

With our son, we have always used the Braun ear thermometer. A friend gave it to us as a shower gift. Her son had febrile seisures so she was always taking his temp. and that is what she used. By 3, my son was able to use this thermometer. I would usually let him take my temp then we would trade.

We have a Braun Ear thermometer and love it. It is quite accurate (I compared different readings), the same style that our doctor's office uses (so she is not afraid of getting her temp taken at the Dr) and fast. There is no way I could hold my almost 3 year old down for a rectal reading (most accurate) unless she is pretty out of it (which then a rectal reading would probably be indicated)
Good luck!

the forehead one did not work for us. i don't know why but maybe it was slippery? i'd get different reading each time, and i am not talking minor differences but between 99 and 102. that's between having a fever and not having a fever.
we have been using braun ear thermometer. i get same reading each time, even when doing it in different ears. it's pricey and i recommend using those plastic covers each time you take the temperature reading. the package comes with spares, nd then you have to buy new ones. they're not expensive though the thermometer itself is.
good luck

i have the temporal (forehead) thermometer and LOVE it. When we took the classes at the hospital 2 1/2 years ago that's what they said was becomming more recommended by pediatrics. I love the fact that i can take the temp when she is sleeping.

I have noticed the differences at times as another poster stated, and All I did then was to take the temp 3 times and go with the middle.

you can always ask your doctor for a recommendation as well. For the ear thermometer we were told they were a waste of money. As if you didn't know the correct way to pull down on the ear and to angle the thermometer you were not actually hitting the vessel to get the correct reading at all. You would be taking a reading of more skin temp, and not a correct body temp.

I don't think she is too young for under the tongue. There is one that is 10 seconds and beeps and changes color for you when they have a temp and you could tell her to look for the color change. It is fast, accurate and you can make it fun when she hears the beeps.

Temporal (forehead) scan

We purchased the CVS ear thermometer - and it doesn't seem to be very accurate (really low temp readings). Apparently docs don't recommend these types - possibly for the same reason?

We also have an Exergen temporal thermometer and love it! $40 may seem like a lot for a thermometer, but it was well worth it. It's so much easier than an armpit/anal thermometer. The instruction manual that comes with it explains different factors that affect its accuracy, and I've found it works well as long as you're mindful of those things.

The instruction manual is available online:
http://www.exergen.com/medical/PDFs/tat2000instrev6.pdf

My mom just told me about a new one that you just put on their forehead... I'd look for that one.
For me - I like the old fashioned glass and mercury thermometers that you can't get anywhere anymore. I've got one left and I protect it!!!
LBC

We use the ear kind - it works on all ages and we took it to our pedi's office and compared it with their oral thermometer and was only 0.5 degrees different. The trick is to take the temp in both ears and average it out.
Ours is almost 5 years old and still going strong. You can take a temp while the kid is asleep too which is great.
I wish our digital read-out screen lit up so we could read it in the dark, but perhaps the latest models do that...

We love our temperal thermometer.

A totally different thought H.. I stopped seeing the need for a thermometer. I didn't use one on my daughter after about age 3, and my son, maybe once as a baby. I figured out that I knew if they had a fever. If it was so low that it was questionable whether they had one, I didn't need to take their temp because there's nothing I'd do differently. If they had a fever, I didn't need to know if it was 100.8 or 103.6 because either way, it's a fever. If you're going to medicate your kid for a fever or take them to the doctor for a fever, 101 and 103 don't really make a difference. The change in action isn't really caused by the number but by the behavior of the child, if they were lethargic, dehydrated, etc it was time to see the doctor no matter what the temp was - and if I took them to the doc's office, they got their temp taken there. So we've been a thermometer free family for years.
Good luck

in my opinion, fevers are overrated...and a good sign to be honest. It means the body is fighting off whatever is attacking it. I only get out the termomiter if the kids seem really uncomfortable...and I only use it to see if the fever if over 101. If over 101 and they are uncomfortable I give them something...but if they are doing ok fever or not i don't even check it. I've been told by our dr the ear ones DO NOT work for infants or children...only adults..they are too big to get to the spot in the ear that will give an accurate reading...she doesn't even chart the temp if i told her i used the ear one. Three isn't too young for the under the tongue...she'll catch on...as for the infant, I use a digital in her rearend..,obviously not the same one I use for the older kids under the tongue..LOL.

I second the Exergen temporal thermometer. It's great - especially with toddler/preschoolers who are quite opposed to anal temps. But make sure it's an Exergen (runs between $40 and 50), because many of the lesser brands/store brands don't work very well.

I use a Vick's quick digital thermometer...reads in less than 10 seconds. My 6 and 3 year old both use it under their tongue. I am not sure if you can use it anally, but if you can it it worth the extra $10 to pick up a second one for the baby (As going back and forth is gross...from mouth to bum). It reads so quickly and efficiently. I compared it to my old fashioned glass mercury one and it was only off by.3 degrees.

I had/have the very expensive swipe over the forehead temporal thermometer and it stopped working...after less than a year and it was $50.00 I regret buying it.

Ugh, I have tried them all. The ear one if you don't pull the ear down properally you don't get a good reading. Well that is fine, as long as your child doesn't mind have his ear pulled on..which was not the case for our house. I also have the under the tongue quick read one, still doesn't work for my 3 year old. Then there is the one that you run across the forehead, never really get a good read of of that one either, it varies too much. Finally I also have one that you put on the temple and it reads in 10 seconds, again, it's quick, but it varies the temp it gives me. Yes, I have spend a ton of money on thermometers, but I had a chid that was always in the hospital from birth due to illnesses. I did talk to the dr. and they said, really anal is the best way to do it. They said most kids, even age 3 don't mind it if they are sick. Just put them on their back like you are changing a diaper and use a lubercant for the thermometer. So if I am really concerned about my child I do the butt, and they have yet to protest me. My oldest is 5 and has learned just recently to do the tongue but until them, it was all the butt. Sounds gross and painful, but I have never really had a problem with it. Good luck since I know how much each one of theses cost:)

Exergen temporal thermometer is the best one I've come across. Tried all the rest. It seems pretty accurate.

My best method for checking temps is kissing their forehead. My lips know what their temp is and I get to give them loves at the same time.