Hi Ladies
I will be grateful for your feedback - what kind of digital thermometer have you used for your little one? What are the pros and cons of each kind? Feel free to name the brand you use (if that is not an infraction, sorry I can't remember if it is or not).
Cheerio
Belinda.
Last edited by chrysalis; June 23rd, 2007 at 09:49 PM.
: typo
Hi Belinda, I use a Braun ThermoScan, which is similar to the ones the GP uses. I've had it for 4 years and used it on both kids and it works amazing. Its very quick and thats important when you have a wriggly, irritable baby on your lap lol! Not sure how much they are as I got it given to me as a gift and it was one of the best gifts I got.
I use the same one - it's the one we used in the hospitals and can be used in adults as well. I also have an under the arm one I bought at the supermarket but found it crap. Too hard with a wiggly baby and couldn't use it on adults - didn't work properly with DH. Said he had a temp of 36 when it was 39. Don't get the ones you hold over the forehead - they can be put by several degrees.
The ear ones are all pretty much a much of a muchness....
Oh yeah - the braun one you can buy the plastic caps that go over the device (won't work without one on it) but haven't seen them for other brands. It does come with a small pack when you buy it but obviously you will need to buy more eventually! I've seen it advertised at $109.95 at several pharmacies but paid about $90 as a member of my pharmacy (one of those loyalty program things).
I have no idea what one we have.. but it was damn expensive to buy...digital kind. We also have a normal kind u can syick under the arm, mouth or rectal.
With the digital ones.. its recommended they not be used for babies under 3 months of age.. so helps to have one of each.
I am an old school paedi RN. I have an under arm one. I just prefer it. At least when i know it's a bit out it's cheap enough to chuck and get a new one. You can't callibrate the exi ones I don't think.
I dont like the ear ones. They are fast but they are known to be very inaccurate on babies/children. They can also have problems with adults. I use a small cheap digital one that you can put under your arm or in your mouth. It is made by vicks and you should be able to get it from the local chemist. It only takes about 10-15 seconds to get the temp
Hmmm, i have a liquid crystal (i think?) one. It's just a flexible plastic strip which changes colour when warm. It's called a feverscan. You put it against bubs forehead and the little boxes change colour to tell you how hot they are (green if the temp is ok, amber if it's borderline, red if they have a fever). It's in Celsius, and it's not accurate within degrees C (like either the whole 39degrees box changes or it doesn't, it can't say they're 39.5 or 38.6 or whatever), but it's close enough to know when bubs is warm, when hot, and when to call the paramedics...
It was very cheap and you can use it with one hand so bubs can be cuddled (held still if wriggly) and no danger of it breaking etc.
Interesting thread... I need to buy a new one myself... was wondering whether it was necessary to pay over $100 for a digital one.
Have been using a Braun under arm one... it seems to be accurate enough but it's 10 years old now and I'm starting to wonder... it also sometimes takes too long. I like the sound of Alan's one...
I use a digital one for under the arm... I always was tempted to get an ear one, as Aidyn HATES me putting the normal one under his arm - its always a real struggle. But now that I know they are not entirely accurate I probably wont get one for the next bub and will just stick with what I already have.
I used to use an underarm digital one. It was such a pain coz you had to hold it there for one minute to take the temp. Matthew did not like it and would scream and squirm and it always came out no matter how much I held his arm down.
I went and bought a digital ear one (cant remember the brand) and that very day he got a temperature that lasted for 6 days. He was back and forth to the hospital, so we were taking his temperature heaps. It was always in line with his temp when it was taken at the hospital. I would never have been able to keep such a close eye on him with the underarm one. His temp hit 40.3 at one point, so it was good for me to test him every half hour.
I bought one from the Baby Expo recently and you need only place it near the skin on the temple and it gives you a reading in seconds. When you turn it on, it tells you the room temperature prior to using it on someone. It can also record the last 6 or 7 temps taken which is useful for a littlie.
I did have a digital underarm/tongue one which was ok but it took ages. At least with the new one, you can take someone's temp if they're asleep no need to hold them still to stick something in their ear or make sure it stays under their arm.
I bought an ear thermometer today, an Omron 'Gentle temp' for $89 after trying to read DD temp last night with a digital underarm/mouth one - she hates it when I try to use it.....So really I got the ear one so it's less stress for both of us.
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Thermometer - ear or other?
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