Rectal or temporal artery thermometer for newborn?

**Octoberbride09** · May 2010

hmmm.... comments?

DLD102 · May 2010

Rectal . . . the ONLY way to get a good and accurate reading.

ETA: until they're a year old . . . at which point a Temporal will work just fine.

Dobie_Mama · May 2010

I'd go ahead and get both. When you call the pedi., they're going to ask for a rectal temp. for a while. But the temporals sure are nice to get a quick scan, particularly if you have a sick kiddo who's sleeping. And in our experience they've been very accurate. Ours is an Exergen.

618mom22boys · May 2010

Rectal. And that is how we checked DS2 fever until about a year old.

HorseyMama08 · May 2010

In my CNA training we were taught that the rectal thermometer was the most accurate. Now that aside the temporal artery thermometer is quick, less invasive, and is used by most pediatricians. The difference in temp between the rectal and temporal is only about 1-2 degrees. We have an inner ear thermometer and it has worked well for us from infancy to toddlerhood.

toyah81 · May 2010

I just could never do the rectal. A squirmy baby and my being afraid I would do it wrong contributed to that. Luckily, DD never got sick like that but once or twice as an infant so I was later able to just use the under arm reading. I've seen the temporal and I was going to go with the Exergen as well.

Mrs.Johns · May 2010

Dobie_Mama:
I'd go ahead and get both. When you call the pedi., they're going to ask for a rectal temp. for a while. But the temporals sure are nice to get a quick scan, particularly if you have a sick kiddo who's sleeping. And in our experience they've been very accurate. Ours is an Exergen.

This is what we are going to do.

kofmkg · May 2010

OMG. I am so freaking uninformed. Rectal thermometers...really?

Kimee13 · May 2010

Thank you for posting this!!! I'm grabbing a temporal one today since BRU has one for 50% off and it get's great reviews. I'll most likely buy a rectal one also, just as a back-up.

mak011980 · May 2010

Rectal is the best way to take the temp until at least 6mos- but if you really think they could be sick- take it rectally till they are at least 1 year old. It is the most accurate. It usually freaks parents out more than the child!!

Tink0910 · May 2010

kofmkg:
OMG. I am so freaking uninformed. Rectal thermometers...really?

THIS

LilacStar11 · May 2010

We are going with rectal to start off with because that is what the pedi recommended. There is one that actually has a stopper so you cant put it in too far to hurt the baby. I believe it is made by Vicks.

KSME924 · May 2010

I had a meeting at a Pedi's office last night and the Pedi said that the temporal is as accurate as rectal and recommended using either one or the other. He advised against ear thermometers btw.

tastyburger · May 2010

rectal. they make one with a "safety feature" that won't let you put it in too far. plus they will poop bigger than the stem of the thermometer, so don't worry about hurting your baby's butthole.

HorseyMama08 · May 2010

KSME924:
I had a meeting at a Pedi's office last night and the Pedi said that the temporal is as accurate as rectal and recommended using either one or the other. He advised against ear thermometers btw.

Did he say why the ear thermometer are not a good idea? I'm just curious. Our pedi gave it the go ahead but I'm curious what others say.

MegT21 · May 2010

HorseyMama08:

KSME924:
I had a meeting at a Pedi's office last night and the Pedi said that the temporal is as accurate as rectal and recommended using either one or the other. He advised against ear thermometers btw.

Did he say why the ear thermometer are not a good idea? I'm just curious. Our pedi gave it the go ahead but I'm curious what others say.

They're worried about the damage it can do to their small ear canals.

CourtneyR2N · May 2010

HorseyMama08:

KSME924:
I had a meeting at a Pedi's office last night and the Pedi said that the temporal is as accurate as rectal and recommended using either one or the other. He advised against ear thermometers btw.

Did he say why the ear thermometer are not a good idea? I'm just curious. Our pedi gave it the go ahead but I'm curious what others say.

From what I have heard and read rectal is the only way to get a good temp until they are 3-6 months old. Before then their ears are too small to get a good ear reading and I haven't heard much on the temporal ones.

hippotree · May 2010

We had the ear one and it worked just fine, so we'll be sticking with that. My pedi has used the temporal at every visit.

mariagome03 · May 2010

I'm going with the temporal. I've used it with my other two and had no problem. My pedi said that temporal was fine as well.

phanatic · May 2010

this is the one we use and it's been wonderful. it beeps rapidly & flashes red if there is a fever present, especially given that fevers are different depending on where you take them.

Aloe0l · May 2010

We're getting both. My mom being a pedi has the ability to get us a really good temporal artery one for cheap (as in a $450 one for $100 - not a 'cheap' one), but she still recommends getting a rectal mostly to test the accuracy.

denise_m · May 2010

DLD102:
Rectal . . . the ONLY way to get a good and accurate reading.

ETA: until they're a year old . . . at which point a Temporal will work just fine.

This.

drakee · May 2010

It's nice to have both. Generally, we use the temporal artery thermometer to see if DD has a high temperature. If she does, then we use the rectal thermometer for an accurate reading. The temporal artery thermometer is easy to use and doesn't cause a meltdown.

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Rectal or temporal artery thermometer for newborn?

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