I'm looking for a new thermometer. Right now we have a Vicks oral digital thermometer, but I feel like even though it's only two years old its outdated. What is a quick and accurate thermometer these days.
If it helps here are my kids ages and preferences:
13-doesn't mind doing it orally
12-hates temp. being taken in general
9-doesn't sit still
7-doesn't sit still/cries
4-doesn't sit still
thanks!
We have one that you just point at the forehead and it gives you a reading. Doesn't involve touching. Just point. I love it! Easy to use when they are sleeping too. It also takes temps of objects too. I use it for the tub to make sure the water isn't too hot. It's a little pricey but well worth it. We got it at walmart. Hope this helps. Good Luck!
We have an ear thermometer for general use, BUT they can be up to 2 degrees off (so sayeth the Children's Hospital Triage Team), so when fevers start spiking, we break out the oral thermometer to double check the super fast ear check..
There is a thermometer out that you roll across the forehead. We use it at the office, have compared it to other ear thermometers and it seems quite accurate. Good luck.
M.
My answer is going to be a little different and may sound odd to you, but I'm a mom of a 14 and a 10 year old so here goes - why use a thermometer at all? Seriously. You're an experienced mom of five. You dont' have an infant. Why do you need to know what their temperature is. You know when your kids have a fever. If you treat a fever with medication, does it matter whether the fever is 101.4 or 103.2? The treatment is still the same. It's typically the other symptoms that you go to the doctor for (ear pain, sore throat, etc) - doctors typically don't get alarmed about a fever of a certain amount unless the child is listless, can't drink anything, has a seizure. My kids haven't had their temperature taken at home since they were about 4 years old. I realized that I didn't need to do that to know whether they had a fever.
i use the forehead temporal artery thermometer - same as my pediatrician uses. my kids actuallylike when i use it because its soothing to gently rub across their forehead when their feeling sick. However, you do need to take several readings to get an accurate reading.
I use the Exergen thermometer that you use on their forehead. Takes only about 10 seconds, if that, to take their temperature, and it is very accurate. You can even use it when they're sleeping.
Updated
p.s. the Exergen thermometer I mentioned is a temporal thermometer that other moms have recommended. love it.
I second the temporal thermometer and the ear ones are pretty good too.
I agree 100% about the Exergen. My husband purchased this and when he brought it home I thought he just spent a lot of money on another gadget. I was so wrong. It is fast, accurate and I feel certain every time I take my son's temperature. It's worth every penny!
We have an ear thermometer for our two year old and like it. We did get a more expensive one and it only take a second to get the reading. There is about a 5-10 second startup, but that is before you take the temp. Same way they take the temp at the doctor's office, so we never have a problem there either.
I also like the temporal thermometer. I use it on my 3 year old because he won't do it orally. When my son was 9 months, I was having to chart his temperature rectally and I would scan with the temporal to see how they matched up. The temporal was only off by .2 at the most. Usually it was exactly the same.
I have found that the best thermometer I ever had was and is the timex curved oral thermometer. For kids and adults who hate having it in their mouth, this one curves over the bottom lip and is quite comfortable. Don't worry about your thermometer being "outdated" sometime the oldies are really the goodies. For my 2 year old, I just got a temple thermometer. You simply hold it on the temple for 5 seconds (not even that long if there is a high fever) Never any fighting. Try this kind for the younger ones who won't sit still. I got mine at Walgreen's. It's even the Walgreen's brand. It cost about $25.00.
Good luck.
Buy a good quality thermoscan thermometer. It reads off the temporal artery in the forehead and you don't have to put it into any orifice. I was a school nurse for kids with learning disabilities, and they were moving targets. I would just advise getting a good one rather than a cheaper version. A good quality one costs about $80 but will last forever (with occasional battery replacements).
