Am i the only parent that havent got a thermometer to check DD's temp if ill???

[Biglips]

????

We bought one of those ear thermometers when I was with xH, but I never use it. I rely on the hand on the tummy/back of neck to check for fever, and then do it again 60-90 minutes after paracetamol/ibuprofen has been given.
Then when XH rings to check on DDs if they're ill, the convestation is as follows:
Him: What does thermometer say
Me: Don't know, haven't used it
Him: **strangulated freaking out sounds"

I can never find one when I need it and DS won't let it near him (don't know why) so I rely on the kiss method too

NHS direct woman was once shocked that I did not have one

Made me feel a bad mother and I have 6 now.

I used to work for NHSD - hope it wasn't me

6? One for every orifice?

i found ours after dd3 had some qweird shaking fitty type thing the other week. (head jerking, limbs all stiff). she woke up today with a slightly hot head, took her temp and it was 38.8, high for her, she has a normal temp of 36 comapred to the older 2 whose normal temps are 37.

Have the ear thingy one. I decide if they've a temperature by kissing their forehead but find it helps me not to panic if I then take their temperature to see where I'm starting from and if it doesn't respond the the meds iyswim!!

I like the idea of having one for some reason. I did buy one when dd was a baby but it was broken and I never got round to replacing it.

Have an ear one but dd will not tolerate it (she has inherited my extremely tickly ears I suspect).

So I just do the kissing forehead thing.

I have one.

DS1 had a fever about once a fortnight between the age of one and two and still gets pretty hot (he got them with each tooth he cut, up to 41.3, but always over 40 degrees). He also had a suspected urine infection when he was just one and was hugely hot. I know that febrile convulsions are a risk at these sorts of temperature, so I wanted to know whether he was cooling down or getting hotter pretty accurately.

I don't think that's over-cautious, as seems to be being implied on this thread!

DD1 tends to spike fevers when she's ill, so we keep one handy.

NQC, I do the same. I kiss their forehead too

Now dd is 10 she just tells me if she's hot

I had the ear one but it always seemed to say DS wsa hotter than he was. Also, he didn't like it being poked in his ear at all. Haven't used one for about 3 years - rely on the hand down the back of the t shirt test.

Realised lower down I said I have got one, what I meant was I haven't got one.

I've not got a thermometer. When DS was in nursery they used those forehead ones - they'd phone and say "oh he's got a temperature of 101" and I'd race round to fetch him to find that he was just a little bit feverish. If they're really ill you'd know about it. I don't give Calpol to bring temperatures down either.

For me its needed for night times rather than day.

If it's day you can assess them quite easily but when they are asleep and drowsy to start with how can you tell how ill they are?

I know for all mine that if they hit 40+ they sometimes convulse. So for me it's important to have one.

Cocoloco

Why dont you give them Calpol?

Because a fever is part of the body's defence mechanism against the illness i.e it's not a negative thing. Although if it was a really high fever I may chicken out and give Calpol (have done in the past). I'd rather try and cool them down by removing clothes, cool cloth on the forehead etc rather than medicate at the first hint of illness IYSWIM.

I only use calpol if they go above 40 (will hold off a bit then with ds1 and ds2, but tend not to with ds3 as he has had febrile convulsions before).

A temp is part of the immune response, which is why I prefer to lay off calpol etc in general.

cross posted

But generally, if they have a fever they have something wrong, often something painful: ears, throat, head. So it also for the pain relief.

Even a fever itself is horrid and causes aching etc.

Sorry, cannot understand what possible reason you would have for not giving something that will alleviate the symptoms.

And I dont believe you can be there all night long bathing and sponging a feverish child effectively?

Calpol is a wonderful medicine!

Yes agree with those who have said that if you have ever had any experience of a child of your own running a scary fever and/or febrile convulsions, then you don't mess around.. you buy a thermometer, quick sharp!

My hands are v.reliable.. have been able to tell for years whether my kids temps are 36, 37, 38 or 39. something.. but I don't want to rely on my hands.. thermometers exist.. they cost about £2.99.. so there's no reason not to have one as far as I can see.. it's not like they burn fossil fuels or anything is it!

Hooray for shiny!

and, incidently, what's your opinion on Calpol?

Have one of those stick on the forehead things, but ds always pushes it away. I just touch his head. I will use the kiss thing now, good idea. He normally wants hugs when he has temp and I can feel by his body if he has a high temp.