It's important to be able to tell what your baby's temperature is - babies have less control over their body temperature than adults. You can usually get a rough idea of a baby's temperature just by touching their forehead or neck with your hand - don't use the baby's hands as a guide though as the temperature of the extremities can vary from body temperature due to environmental conditions.
Obviously this is just an approximate guide to your baby's temperature. There will be many occasions when you want a more accurate indication. The best thing is to use a proper thermometer of course, and there are a variety of different types available. Which is the best for you and your baby?
Conventional Glass Tube Mercury Filled Thermometers These are very accurate - but there's always some risk of breaking and they do require to be kept in place for a minimum time period in order to obtain a good reading. They require to be placed under the arm, in the mouth or in the rectum. Any of those positions could be somewhat difficult if you have an unhappy, fractious baby as the patient.
Digital Stick Thermometer Fairly similar to a conventional thermometer, but battery operated, manufactured from plastic - not glass - and with a digital read out. Put it under the baby's arm for thirty seconds and you should get a pretty accurate reading with no operator error due to the digital readout.
Plastic Strip Thermometers These are simply held against your baby's forehead and kept there for around 15 seconds. They change colour to indicate temperature. They are cheap, pretty easy to use and fairly accurate. However, it is possible to misread them. If there is perspiration on the baby's forehead, then this can lead to an inaccurate reading.
Non Contact Scanning Thermometers Nobody likes being poked or prodded when they're ill and babies are no exception. So non contact scanner thermometers are a great option since they don't require to touch any part of the body. They use infra-red (perfectly harmless) to take a reading of the skin temperature. Points where the skin is thin - such as the temple for example - are good points to take readings. Surface perspiration can still reduce the degree of accuracy obtained.
Ear Thermometers The ear is considered to yield the best reflection of the core body temperature and you should be able to get an accurate reading very quickly. Disposable caps, which you can put over the sensor tips and then discard after use, can be fitted to most ear thermometers. Digital displays are usually incorporated in this type of thermometer.
Any of the above types of thermometer will work just fine. Your choice will most likely depend upon your own personal preference.
If you want to avoid reader error then it's probably best to choose one which has a digital readout.
An ear thermometer - or a non contact infrared thermometer - is a good choice if you want to avoid upsetting your baby.
In terms of accuracy, the ear thermometer comes out on top.
The ear thermometer option may be a good overall choice for both you and your baby. - 30224
Obviously this is just an approximate guide to your baby's temperature. There will be many occasions when you want a more accurate indication. The best thing is to use a proper thermometer of course, and there are a variety of different types available. Which is the best for you and your baby?
Conventional Glass Tube Mercury Filled Thermometers These are very accurate - but there's always some risk of breaking and they do require to be kept in place for a minimum time period in order to obtain a good reading. They require to be placed under the arm, in the mouth or in the rectum. Any of those positions could be somewhat difficult if you have an unhappy, fractious baby as the patient.
Digital Stick Thermometer Fairly similar to a conventional thermometer, but battery operated, manufactured from plastic - not glass - and with a digital read out. Put it under the baby's arm for thirty seconds and you should get a pretty accurate reading with no operator error due to the digital readout.
Plastic Strip Thermometers These are simply held against your baby's forehead and kept there for around 15 seconds. They change colour to indicate temperature. They are cheap, pretty easy to use and fairly accurate. However, it is possible to misread them. If there is perspiration on the baby's forehead, then this can lead to an inaccurate reading.
Non Contact Scanning Thermometers Nobody likes being poked or prodded when they're ill and babies are no exception. So non contact scanner thermometers are a great option since they don't require to touch any part of the body. They use infra-red (perfectly harmless) to take a reading of the skin temperature. Points where the skin is thin - such as the temple for example - are good points to take readings. Surface perspiration can still reduce the degree of accuracy obtained.
Ear Thermometers The ear is considered to yield the best reflection of the core body temperature and you should be able to get an accurate reading very quickly. Disposable caps, which you can put over the sensor tips and then discard after use, can be fitted to most ear thermometers. Digital displays are usually incorporated in this type of thermometer.
Any of the above types of thermometer will work just fine. Your choice will most likely depend upon your own personal preference.
If you want to avoid reader error then it's probably best to choose one which has a digital readout.
An ear thermometer - or a non contact infrared thermometer - is a good choice if you want to avoid upsetting your baby.
In terms of accuracy, the ear thermometer comes out on top.
The ear thermometer option may be a good overall choice for both you and your baby. - 30224
