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Children's health

Digital ear thermometer readings

5 replies

millingtonsmummy · 08/04/2009 20:01

I use the Summer newborn to adult digital ear thermometer on DD but I never get the same reading twice. The disparity between the readings is often 2C out and I'm pretty sure I'm using it correctly. How can this be?? Anyone else get crazy readings from their digital ear thermometers or can recommend a fail safe one?

Thanks!

OP posts:
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Tiggiwinkle · 08/04/2009 20:48

Make sure you use the same ear each time-my DS5 always has a 1 degree difference between his two ears, whether he is well or not.

TBH I do not find them all that reliable; another of my DSs tends to have very waxy ears and we cannot use an ear thermometer on him at all because it reads far too low and is inaccurate.

The digital oral thermometers are accurate and inexpensive; or you can get infra-red forehead thermometers now too. I have a Thermofocus one which is accurate but quite expensive.

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ShowOfHands · 08/04/2009 20:50

I can never get my ear one to read accurately, wildly different readings minutes apart.

I get on much better with a digital oral thermometer.

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thisisyesterday · 08/04/2009 20:54

we were told by a GP and a nurse and a doctor at the hospital that they are not the best thermometers to use. even our local hosp has stopped using them
parents apparently very rarely get them in far enough and positioned correctly to get an accurate reading

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artichokes · 08/04/2009 20:56

today i got a 37 degree reading 30 seconds after a 39 degree reading. they are rubbish. as soon as my dds are old enough i am getting an oral one again.

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thisisyesterday · 08/04/2009 21:03

we use a digital one that you can stick under their arm.

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