Is my thermometre not working?

[viiswi]

Hello

My son has a temperature and we have a Braun digital thermometre.

Each time I take the temperature, it is different - whether I do it straight away or leave it a couple of minutes.

How on earth can it go from 38.2 one minutes and then 37.4 the next?

Also, each ear give a different reading.

xx

[Nogodsnomasters]

Each ear does tend to give different readings by a point or two especially if the child has been lying on that side/ear or anything but shouldnt be a full degree different. Are you definitely inserting it the same depth and angle each time? As these digital ones really does need to use at a specific angle. Once when my son was ill and sleeping I didn't want to push it in too far and wake him and I got a reading of 38.4, about 3 minutes later he woke anyway and I fully inserted it and got a true reading of 39.5.

[viiswi]

Hello

Thank yo for answering and I apologise for my awful spelling of thermometer!

I hope your son was ok?

I must be doing something wrong as Ive just taken his temperature with one that goes under the tongue and it was 36.9.

Another time, my daughter was rocking a 39.9, so we went to A&E and they said it was 38......

Can you recommend a good one?

Mine is the thermoscan by Braun.

xx

[viiswi]

Urgh, Ive just tried 3 times in the same ear.

I got 38, 37.8 and 37.5.

Im so frustrated. xx

[Nogodsnomasters]

Try it in your own ear and see what you get, mine is also a braun thermoscan the blue and white one, I've never tried an under tongue one but I've used under armpit when he was a baby and I think they are quite reliable as our hospital uses that type too (only a bit more high tech than the ones you buy in shop). Does he feel hot to touch? If so I'd go by that rather than the under tongue one. My son was OK thanks it was a double ear infection at the time bk in November. When I'm using mine I push it in as far as I can but slowly under u feel as if the whole ear hole is "full" around it if that makes any sense.

[viiswi]

Ah yes.

Hubby always tests it and he is always 36.7ish.

Awww your poor son - poorly children make me super anxious.

My hands are always cold, so when I touch my son, he always feels hot even when he's not!

I don't know - I just hope he feels better tomorrow.

xx

[viiswi]

Actually my friend has freaked me out by saying 38 is a bad fever.

I didn't think it was.

I though normal temperature could be up to 37.5?

xx

[Maryann1975]

Don’t use your hand to gauge a high temperature, put your cheek on their forehead and you will feel more accurately if they are too hot or not.

[viiswi]

Thank you Maryann

Great advice xx

[Nogodsnomasters]

Yes use ur cheek against his forehead or use lips, I always kiss his head as can never tell properly with hand either. I know how you feel, sick children make me very anxious too but as long as he's acting well, drinking/not lethargic etc I'm sure it will just be a standard virus. How old is he? Xx

[Nogodsnomasters]

Oh and also normal temp is up to 37.5, I wouldn't call 38 a serious fever. I normally start panicking closer to 39 lol

[PurpleWithRed]

How old is your baby?

[viiswi]

Hi

Thank you.

He is 8.

I worry as before Christmas he told his teachers he didn't feel well. They said youre ok.

He fainted with an incredibly high temperature and acute tonsillitis.

Not impressed with school at all.

He is well in himself, just a "smoker's" cough and sore throat.
xx

[Nogodsnomasters]

Sounds like it's a standard virus, if the temp continues for more than 3 days take him to the docs to check for something bacterial like tonsillitis etc xx