temp 39.8 in ear, 37.2 underarm - help

[TheUnmentioned]

Ds has had a v high fever for 2 days. Not responding to anti pyretics. Just back from kuids ward - they used underarm disposable thermometers and his temp was only 36.8, in his ear before we left it was 37.2 so still fine. Hwoever we took temp when got home 15 min later before bed and it was 39.8 :( in ear and only 37.2 underarm. Thinking about it the ear temp in hosp may have been taken from other ear that we do it in. Doc said ear canals v red but no bacterial infection.

Checked ear and underarm therm on us and only about a 0.5 variance so don't hink dodgy thermometers.

Any advice?

On average under arm 1 degree lower than oral temperature.

I'd go with the ear temp, underarm ones are about 1 degree, as wobbly said. Give them a call and see what they suggest.

Yes I thought that but paed said underarm more accurate at giving core body tenp??

No, that's the ear one. This is because the blood vessels in the ear are closer to the skin surface, wheras the vessels under the arm are deeper inside.

Give them a call. If you have a fan then put this on, just make sure it blows over him and not directly on him. It's OK to wipe him with a damp cloth, just don't put him in the bath. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be given at together but alternate them, Ibuprofen first. Don't give him this if he's allergic or asthmatic though.

If the ear canals are red and inflamed then the ear thermometer will give a false localised reading - so I would think the underarm one is more correct. In very young babies it is pretty near to the correct core temperature. As children get older the difference is around 0.5 C or 1 degree F. Simply because as you get older you develop more of an arm 'pit'!

I would trust my instincts and feel the back of the neck or the tummy to guage whether there is a real fever. Double check with a head thermometer maybe?

I was told about the underarm readings from a paed nurse on PICU.

PS. The disposable thermometers are a bit crap imo but a digital one is usually ok.