Terrified of the rectal thermometer!!

Luckily neither have been warm enough for me to wonder about a fever before so I have never been faced with this, however last night Lauren felt really warm to me, even her hands which are usually cold b/c they stay in her mouth constantly.
Anyway, I got out the trusty thermometer "set" that we received as a shower gift and as I pondered whether to use the ear or underarm thermometer, I decided on the ear b/c that is what they use at the pedi. Well, on the 1st reading it said 100.3, okay not bad... well my dh wanted to try on him. It read 101.2 for him, which we knew wasn't right. So I tried it on Lauren again 102.2
That's not possible, let try again. Then it read 101.5, so we decided to read the instructions , it said to take 3 readings and use the HIGHEST of the 3- 102.2!!
DH decided he should call his mom and see "what to do". She didn't really believe us b/c she said that since she was on an antibiotic she couldn't have a fever, this is the same one w/ the voodoo doll.
Anyway, she came over and took Lauren's temp rectally and is was 101, gave her some tylenol and she was asleep in 30 minutes.
She asked why I didn't do it, I am terrified, I just can't. How will I get over this??

 

Luckily neither have been warm enough for me to wonder about a fever before so I have never been faced with this, however last night Lauren felt really warm to me, even her hands which are usually cold b/c they stay in her mouth constantly.
Anyway, I got out the trusty thermometer "set" that we received as a shower gift and as I pondered whether to use the ear or underarm thermometer, I decided on the ear b/c that is what they use at the pedi. Well, on the 1st reading it said 100.3, okay not bad... well my dh wanted to try on him. It read 101.2 for him, which we knew wasn't right. So I tried it on Lauren again 102.2
That's not possible, let try again. Then it read 101.5, so we decided to read the instructions , it said to take 3 readings and use the HIGHEST of the 3- 102.2!!
DH decided he should call his mom and see "what to do". She didn't really believe us b/c she said that since she was on an antibiotic she couldn't have a fever, this is the same one w/ the voodoo doll.
Anyway, she came over and took Lauren's temp rectally and is was 101, gave her some tylenol and she was asleep in 30 minutes.
She asked why I didn't do it, I am terrified, I just can't. How will I get over this??

 

My DD had problems with constipation, so taking a rectal temp was the only thing we could do to 'stimulate' her BMs. Looks like one of the twins is having the same problem - out with the old rectal thermometer.

It's not scary once you've done it once or twice; just do it once and you'll be over it. You only put it in a tiny bit, holding their legs up like you're changing a diaper. It doesn't hurt at all!

My pedi said to just put the ear thermometer away until a year from now; it's not accurate until then. Bummer, but what can you do?

 

We haven't used the rectal and I don't think that we ever will. Even in the hospital the nurses used a digital thermometer under the arm every time that they took the girls temps. They actually told us not to use the rectal and just do it under the arm.

 

Ditto pp on the ear thermometer - not for use on babies. Also my ped's office says they are very inaccurate. I have one and can attest to that fact. I can take my own temp 6 times in a row and get 6 different readings. My ped says the kind you run over the forehead and temple are more acurate and that's what they use in the office.

Just do the underarm if that's what you're more comfortable with. I haven't taken a rectal temp on my girls yet and they're almost 8 months. It's not a huge deal, lube up the tip with vaseline or KY and slide it in about an inch, no more.

 

for my shower i received the kind that you run across the forhead. It is not accurate at all. wish i did not get it. Like PP, i also had to use it to stimulate when my son was constipated. i was so scared but knew i had to do it. Once i did, i was shocked at how easy it was. that is how i will take it if i ever suspect a fever.

 

we use the ear digital thermometer. the trick is to place it in the ear properly. we get the same reading each time. pedi sais it is ok but slightly higher then it would be with other type of measurement. since she knows it is ear temperature she responds accordingly.

 

At our daycare center we use under the arms for the infants but then we always add 1 degree. So a 100.5 reading would actually be 101.5

 

I grew up on a farm, taking a rectal temp is no big deal to me!

 

I feel bad when i have to do it - DH refuses to . The only thing I can say is try to make them as comfy as possible, use vasoline.. i sing to them to try to realx them when I do it. I am sorry I know what you are going through it still amkes me nervouse to do it

 

quote:
Originally posted by axpan:
we use the ear digital thermometer. the trick is to place it in the ear properly. we get the same reading each time. pedi sais it is ok but slightly higher then it would be with other type of measurement. since she knows it is ear temperature she responds accordingly.


Totally agree. I have had good luck with ours as long as I put it in the same way every time. You get better with practice!

 

We just had to do this earlier in the week b/c Eli had a temp with the Ear Thermo so I knew I had to do the rectal before calling the Pedi. I too am scared to death of it, Dh refuses so I had to wait on my sitter to get there(older lady) and she had no problem with it. I did find that they make one especially for rectal temps that has a really short tip and wide bulb to hold on to. It keeps you from pushing it in too far which is my main fear.

 

We do the underarm....wait - I do the underarm. DH won't have anything to do with temp taking because they squirm.

I opened up the ear thermometer and it was definitely giving different readings. I tried it on myself, too and it was giving different emails.

 

I use a Vick's Rectal thermometer. You can't over stick it. Mine actually take rectal better than under the arm.

 

the last time I took an armpit temp it told me my kids temperature was 95.3 - rectal is easy and with the new digital rectal thermometers you can't stick them in too far and it only takes a minute to get a reading...