Mom Question: Temporal Artery Thermometer

[wvasweetness]

I picked one up this week at TRU (this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2267477&CAWELAID=107529054 ).

I did my own unofficial testing at home and compared temps taken with the ear thermometer. Seems that temps are consistent with both thermometers, although the temporal one runs .2 - .4 higher than the ear one. Really .2-.4 doesn't mean much since I just need a general idea of the high fever, not an "exact" reading.

Anyway, so far I like it... much easier than the ear thermometer and I figure I can take a temp in his sleep or if he has an ear ache. But sometimes I wonder if I will always second-guess this thing, and end up taking temp with it first and then the ear one second to compare... haha.

Anyone use a TA thermometer? Do you like it? Thoughts?

[makabe]

I've used a TA thermometer for a while. I went through a scary seven-month period in which I had fevers every day and that was the exact thermometer I relied on. I even had it tested and calibrated at my doctors' offices (family doc and an infectious diseases specialist) and both agreed that I was getting very accurate readings. In fact, my family doc switched to a TA for the office after seeing how well mine held up!

[heathergw]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE ours! In fact my doc is the reason I switched, he felt that they were much more accurate than the ear thermometers even.

[4noisyboys]

Wow! I think that is really cool...we don't even have a thermometer in the house. I think this would be really handy to have though!

[msteiner99]

I got one when my first son was born in 2004. I love it!

[sczos911]

i love ours. quick easy & no fighting with the girls.

[MamaBee]

Phew... my mom just got this for me for my birthday (yes, she is the queen of practical gifts)... I've been looking for a different thermometer for the longest time... kiddo is getting to big for rectal... doesn't use the pacifier version anymore... under the arm doesn't work... and my ear one gives such crazy temps depending where you put it in the ear. I'm so happy to hear that others have had success with this one!

[iJenny]

We just switched from an ear thermometer to a temporal one here in my school's health office. Its much more accurate, less user error, and less invasive for little ones. I really like it so far.

[lauren grier]

yep yep... I don't own one, but our pedi switched to them a couple years ago. they're awesome.

[Sharon Kay]

Phew... my mom just got this for me for my birthday (yes, she is the queen of practical gifts)... I've been looking for a different thermometer for the longest time... kiddo is getting to big for rectal... doesn't use the pacifier version anymore... under the arm doesn't work... and my ear one gives such crazy temps depending where you put it in the ear. I'm so happy to hear that others have had success with this one!

Yeah you had to hold the ear just right and the thermometer just right...then after awhile we could never get an accurate reading with the ear one...so we went back to the under the tongue thermometer...but then again my youngest is 14yo.

Would definitely look into that if the kids were younger...amazing they can get such accurate temps with that.

[dabittymama]

We are doing a trial of them in the ED I work at. So far there is little difference between them and a rectal temp...and its much nicer to take the latter :thumbup:!

[sprauncey1]

I would do the same thing (test both to see how they compare)! I saw these the other day at Target and thought about getting one since this is what the ped's office is using now, but wasn't sure. Now I'm thinking we'll switch because of DS's ear infections, this just makes more sense.

[ditzyscrap]

The hospital here uses one of those...I was confused when I first saw it, lol.

[suzyqscraps]

We have one and LOVE it! My mom bought one for each of her daughters 'cause she wanted her grandbabies to be well taken care of, lolol! My ds loves to have his temp taken and he holds still for it ... couldn't get him to hold still for any of the others. And it's FAST!

[Teresa]

LOVE ours! I'm a little obsessive when it comes to fevers, so it has been a great help to us, both for ease of use and accuracy.

[amandabarugh]

We are doing a trial of them in the ED I work at. So far there is little difference between them and a rectal temp...and its much nicer to take the latter :thumbup:!

I am not a fan. Not at all.

We had one for awhile, and it was great until the first time we had to change the battery. I never could get a good reading after that. So, I went back to the ear.

Well, our doctor's office also uses the temporal thermometers, and I've had to insist that they start take either rectals or auxilary on my kids because it's ALWAYS wrong. When Ian was sick last February, I took his temp at home right before we walked out the door to go to the doctor's office. It was over 103. Got to the office less than 15 minutes later. They took his temp with a temporal, and they got normal. Not just once, several times. I had them take his temp rectally because I didn't believe that he was at normal. I was right. He was right around 104.

We've had experiences like that several times with our doctor's office. Different users, as well. I just don't trust them anymore.