Thermometers- does anyone know of one that ACTUALLY works accurately?

[lilyflower1803]

Clues in the title really! I have three thermometers, a Braun age precision underarm/tongue one, Braun infrared x a contactless one and a tommee tippee one from a healthcare pack.

They all give different readings! Especially the infrared one. My child can have a fever one minute then go down to 37 degrees...

Does anyone have a thermometer recommendation that is actually accurate?! Bonus points if it is a quick infrared one as I have a wriggly toddler.

Should I try an in-ear one?

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Hi Mumsnetters,
We know this thread is a little old, but if you’ve landed here looking for thermometer recommendations – most Mumsnetters on this thread recommend the Braun Age Precision Thermoscan 7 ear thermometer for most accurate readings. It also happens to be our best overall thermometer on our best baby thermometers buyer’s guide.
We hope you find the best thermometer for your little one
MNHQ

I always find the forehead contactless ones really inaccurate.
my go - to is the braun age precision one and I always take the average read of 3
goes.

Sounds like you've got a faulty child, not sure on the refund policy

Braun thermoscan,
have used various versions over the years.

Unless your child has health issues, don't worry about it.

Do you mean you are getting different readings from the different thermometers? If so presumably that's because you are taking the readings from different parts of the body?

We've got a Braun one that you put in your ear and it's been very reliable. My GPs surgery also use them and when I was recently hospitalised with an infection they were also used on the ward.

Hi, no I mean I'm getting vastly different readings with the same one. Mainly the braun infrared one but also the two underarm ones don't correlate with the same temps either. Hard to believe which one is right.

I'll look into the ear ones as I know they are most reliable!

Thanks

Think it's past the 30 days anyway 😭🤣

We have the forehead scan one, and it's hugely unreliable. I ended up getting a Braun in-ear thermometer and it's been fine.

I understand that, luckily she's mainly ok. I use it as she goes to nursery and obviously they have a no temp policy .I do instinctively know when she has a temp though.

Good to know! Think I'll be getting that. Shame we spend so much money on things that aren't reliable 😬

The braun in ear one, thermoscan 7? we use it in work too (hospital) you may have to try taking 2-3 readings to find the true accurate temp, but U would do that at work anyway. and you may find that each ear reads different

Braun thermoscan is the best of a rubbish bunch. It's what the GP practice uses too. You do need to try to take an average of a few readings if possible. Your toddler might scream and wriggle a bit but just be firm. I actually found when they were really under the weather with a fever they just lay there quietly.

There is a view on MN that a thermometer at home is unnecessary. I think I'm quite a lax parent but I am a hard disagree on that. I think it's an absolute necessity and non-negotiable in a household.

My daughter had tonsillitis when she was 2 and felt hot but the thermometer said 37 it didn't improve after a couple of days so we took her to the doctor who measured her temperature at 41!
After this we now measured our temperature at the same time as hers and compare it to our temperature rather than taking the absolute value. We also always do both ears.

I have done some reading since and found that if the sensor on the inner ear thermometer get grubby it can impact on the readings. We give it a clean the thermometer more routinely - having replacement the thermometer that was 4degs out!

Agree hugely. In my experience doctors want to know if a high temperature isn’t reducing by at least 1 degree on calpol / nurofen and I don’t see how you can tell that “just” by feel/
instinct.

@Tangofantastic I agree with this, sometimes you do need precise measurements.

Granted we started our appointment with the GP appointment I think our thermometer is broken. She is registering 37 we are about 35.5
He recommended paracetamol and ibuprofen regime and phoned us back a few hours later and asked if she felt cooler and yes she felt hot but no longer burning hot.

I am not anti thermometer I just found myself without a functioning thermometer on a day I needed it! It was quite reassuring to be able manage her illness without a thermometer and was a very happy mummy when the new thermometer arrived the next morning!!

Oh I can imagine!! I’d like to manage without one but I’ve got one medically complex. Child and one not and for both I can tell by feel when they have one, just not accurately how high unless they are burning to touch hot ☹️

My GP once told me there was so much variation between thermometers and many were so innaccurate that she advised parents to not bother with a thermometer and to just check with a hand on forehead.

We use the Braun in ear one. It's what they used in the NICU when he was born so we feel it must be fairly reliable!

Braun in-ear. Had it for over a decade. A good Thermometer is essential - I can’t tell by feel if my child is 37.5 or 39 : and if fever going up or down. Was essential in convincing dr over the phone my dc had scarlet fever (which they absolutely did)

Braun in ear one has one the vote, going to fork out again on another thermometer! I've spend around £100 on them now 🤣