What is the best thermometer for babies?

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Which is the best baby thermometer depends on the baby's age and how cooperative the child is.

There are several ways to take a baby's temperature.

Auxiliary (under the arm), rectal (using the rectum), oral (in the mouth) or in the ear.

Most doctors recommend a rectal reading for babies younger than 3 months.

 

 

There are many different types of thermometers available today.

Available thermometers are:

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Mercury in Glass Thermometers
The old fashioned glass thermometers are no longer recommended because they can leak dangerous and toxic mercury. If you still have one of these mercury thermometers get rid of it, advises the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). There are much safer thermometers on the market nowadays.

Digital Thermometers.
This is the best thermometer for children.There are three types for auxiliary, rectal and oral reading. rectally will give you the most reliable reading. For older children it may be difficult to sit still and you may have to use another method.

Safety 1st Hospital's Choice 8 Second Digital Thermometer gives an accurate oral, rectal or underarm reading in approximately 8 seconds. Suitable for babies from 6 months and up.

Tympanic Thermometer.
The Tympanic thermometer or ear thermometer has to be placed in baby's ear.These instant read thermometers are very accurate. But ear thermometers are also the most expensive thermometers available.

 

What is the best thermometer for babies?

Plastic Strip Thermometer.
The Summer Infant Forehead Thermometer Strips is a liquid crystal thermometer or plastic strip thermometer is a type of thermometer that contains heat-sensitive (thermo chromic) liquid crystals in a plastic strip. Held against baby's forehead for 15 seconds a change in color will indicate the temperature. This method is inexpensive but also the least accurate.

Digital Pacifier Thermometer.
This is a digital thermometer housed in a silicone pacifier. On the front is a little button to turn on the thermometer. After 90 seconds, or until it beeps you can read the temperature on the front. This method works only with baby's that will keep a pacifier in his mouth for more than 90 seconds.

The No Touch Thermometer.
This thermometer uses advanced infra red technology to scan the temple from a distance of 2,5 cm.

The No Touch measures the temperature of the infra red heat given off by the arterial blood supply under the temple skin. This infra red thermometer is ideal if you don't want to wake your child to take it's temperature.

 

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A high infant temperature or fever is a very common. Fever is a reaction to a viral or bacterial infection. Babies are more prone to get fevers because they have trouble regulating their body temperature.

We say that a child has a fever when the body temperature is over 38,0 C or 101,0 F.

Some babies get a fever after vaccination. This usually lasts no more than 24 hours. Overdressing your infant can also cause a raise in body temperature.

Many parents fear the harmfull side effects of fever like dehydration and seizures. Read the myths and facts about fever to help you put fever in the right perspective.

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