Thermometers - Does everyone have one?

[crunchie]

I don't have one and I just judge my kids temperature by feeling them, the back of their necks etc. I can tell if they have a high temp as they feel scorching hot.

Howevere I would have NO idea what their temp should be, or goes up to.

Is that bad?

36-37C is normal. we have recently bought a braun ear thermometer. it's brilliant.

i would recommend getting one. the braun ear one is saupposed to be the best - we have a mothercare ear one. i think it is really hard to tell from feeling a child's head [that's what they say medically too] - and a high temp can be dangerous.

Ive got one, but I rarely use it. Like you, I judge the children's temperature. Im more concerned whether they seem ill, or hot etc, rather than the exact number.

ruty, why would you recommend I get one?

I want to know what the point of them are, when I can tell if my kids are hot, ill, whatever?

well, they say you can't tell if your child has a temp by feeling them. I know in your experience you can, but i feel uncomfortable doing it 'blind' For example, i wouldn't be able to tell if my ds's temp was 38 or 39.5, or 40. If it were 40 and he was visibly ill we'd be straight round to the docs. I also don't give calpol for temperatures under 39.5, i keep him cool in other ways, so for me it is important to know exactly what his temp is.

my calpol rule is that I give it if they can't sleep. So far, I have never had a temperature that went high and stayed high, but if I did, then I guess I'd give calpol then, and be off to A+E if it didn't bring the temp down.
so still wouldn't use the thermometer probably.

Nightynight I feel the same really. I believe (and have been told by a pediatrician) that the high temp is the body's way of killing a virus, therefore high temps can be good.

well, I think if you don't want one don't get one.

We have one because my eldest tends to get spike temperatures where her temp sores to around the 41C mark. There are so many ways to measure temperature (under the arm, in the ear, in the mouth) and they all have different ranges so have different 'normals' anyway.

I don't think it helps knowing exactly what their temperature is unless you have a child that gets febrile convulsions or has problems with their temperature. But I imagine most people have one as not everyone can tell what their child's temperature is from feeling their head/neck.

yes, i feel the same about high temps, they are the body's way of fighting viruses, which is why we are very wary of giving calpol. That is why we check his temp when he is ill to know what we are dealing with. But if you feel comfortable with what you do, that's fine - just telling you how i feel.

No

yep, we have a braun ear thermometer which is fab.

otoh, high temp = scorching hot skin, normal temp = normal skin, as you say. Thermometers are good for reassuring you that you're right about their temperature IMHO - not so much need for one if you are confident about your abilities .

I don't have one

I don't have one either.

g;ad others don't all my rl friends think I am strange

we have an ear thermometer, it's v useful eg when temp is v high (say 39) and gp phones back to see how getting on with say giving calpol, whether it's stayed the same or at least on the way down.

We have the ear one too, I'm useless at estimating by touch alone. Dh is pretty good at estimating by feeling the forehead but even he always wants to check on the thermometer as well.

I think it's better to have one just in case you make a mistake - too high a temperature can be v dangerous.

We've got a Braun ear one and used it a lot when ds was a baby - panicky first time parents. Now I've learnt taht if he is even slightly off colour his temp soars - but comes down again when he perks up. I've not used it for ages - and have never used it on dd (now 3!)

Yes, got a Braun ear one. have used it on all 3 I think. I've found it very useful actually - especially on the phone to NHS diret one night when we just couldn't get ds2's temp down at all - was so easy to just keep checking it.

I can't tell with my hands, as their external temperature changes too much, but I do use my lips, which I find much more sensitive.

yes i've tried with my lips, but my ds can be hot without any temp and one night i thought he felt normal and i took his temp - it was 38.9!

I must just be better calibrated!

Just out of interest, does a low grade fever (ie a slight temperature - no idea what though) give a problem?

TBH I doubt I am able to guess what actual temp my child is, only they are either hot and sweaty, or hot and dry. Anything less I dismiss Bad mummy I am sure, but I like Ruty, only give medicine if they really need it

i think a fever over 40 can cause febrile convulsions.