A baby thermometer is one of the most important pieces of baby equipment that parents need to buy. In fact, many parents buy more than one. Several high-end thermometers can take different kinds of temperatures so that parents can take several readings to help them know for sure if a child has a fever. Having a reliable and high-quality baby thermometer is essential for parents.
The lowdown on thermometers
Buying an accurate thermometer for your kid as an essential first-aid tool is crucial for the parents. Any time you feel the warmth on her son’s forehead can be an alert to a problem, although it doesn’t tell the whole story. For babies aged four months and less, a relatively low fever is a sing of serious illness or infection.
An accurate thermometer is an essential first aid device for parents. Feeling warmth on your tyke’s temple can caution you to an issue. However, it doesn’t recount to you the entire story. In babies younger than four months, even a relatively low fever can be a sign of a serious illness or infection.
Types of thermometers
Oral thermometers are frequently shaped like pacifiers to make them easier for a tyke to clutch in their mouths. This sort of thermometer takes the baby’s inside temperature. It must be held under the baby’s tongue for two minutes to get an accurate reading. Despite the fact that this is the sort of thermometer that many parents grew up with it’s not the most accurate thermometer available today. Oral thermometers are usually best for more established kids who can hold it under their tongues easily.
These are similar to the thermometers that pediatricians use, and they are considered the best for parents to use on youngsters that are six months or more established. The thermometer test is secured with a small plastic sleeve that can be expelled and discard. It can be easily slipped inside the ear, regardless of the fact that the baby is sleeping, and it takes an advanced reading of the baby’s temperature in just three seconds.
These can be extremely accurate tools for assessing a kid’s fever by measuring heat omissions. It takes just two or three seconds to gets an accurate reading using a brow thermometer. These thermometers can be utilized on offspring of all ages.
These can be computerized or simple. The test on the thermometer sits in the baby’s armpit to measure the temperature. Simple thermometers take around five minutes to give an accurate reading. Computerized ones can give readings in just seconds. Just like brow thermometers, these can be used on babies and offspring of all ages.
Taking a child’s temperature using a rectal thermometer usually is more uncomfortable for the parent than the baby, yet it can cause the baby some distress. The test should always be greased up with some petroleum jam to make it easier to insert. Just around a fourth of the test needs to be inserted to get a decent reading. It usually takes around two minutes to get the rectal temperature.
What to look for when buying?
Is it age appropriate?
When purchasing the rectal thermometer or multi-use thermometer knows they can be used with any child age limit, although they are recommended for newborns for an accurate reading. A baby younger than four months, a temperature of 100.4 degrees and higher is a sign of a severe infection or illness.
Buy flexible tip rectal thermometers as can be uncomfortable especially those with a full handle that are painful to insert more than an inch. Forcing it further can perforate the kid’s rectum, thus be careful.
Multiuse baby thermometer lacks design that prevents over-insertion, thus take care when using them with the baby.
Will the method work for your child?
Two years plus child is more likely to refuse a rectal thermometer and fight by moving around thus increasing chances of injury and inaccurate reading. Having a child who is squirmy, makes it difficult to take accurate temperature reading using an ear or rectal thermometer, thus the parent should opt for a temporal-artery thermometer that is quick and only needs sweep across the baby forehead.
Important safety notes
You should know soaking the kid in warm water will raise body temperature for up to an hour, thus don’t take temperature reading after a bath. For babies below four months or any age who sound sick, don’t wait to take temperature, call a doctor or seek medical attention right away. When using a multi-use thermometer designed just for one area such as rectal, oral or under the arm do so to avoid spreading bacteria.
What it’s going to cost you?
Lastly, review the cost of the thermometer. An oral, under the arm or rectal thermometer price range under $10 and temporally-artery thermometers are expensive ranging from $25 to $100.