temp. question

Is is necessary to add anything to a temp. reading using an ear thermometer?

Background...I've always taken Lacie's temp rectally (dr. said this is most accurate). Clearly a pain in the ass at night time. Lacie has really never been sick until yesterday when she had a 104 temp. I wanted to check her at night, but my stupid ear thermometer kept saying like 97 degrees (nothing over 99). I could tell she had a fever and ended up waking her up and sure enough she was just about 102. Then this morning rectally she was 104 and with the ear thermometer she was only 100. Ugh, I'm confused.

Quoting luvmylacie:“ Is is necessary to add anything to a temp. reading using an ear thermometer? Background...I've always ... [snip!] ... was just about 102. Then this morning rectally she was 104 and with the ear thermometer she was only 100. Ugh, I'm confused.”

rectal! Call your doc!

Ear temps are by far the most inaccurate. if you dont want to wake her use her under arm and add a degree.

Quoting DEMOs Mama~PSM~OG~:“ rectal! Call your doc!”

Oh, we had already called yesterday when the fever first started. It's staying down as long as I rotate tylenol and motrin every 3 hours. She's acting totally normal (playing and jibber-jabbering). Only symptom of illness is the fever.

our pedi would send us right to the ER for a fever of 104.

Quoting MommyWise{Team *PINK*}:“ Ear temps are by far the most inaccurate. if you dont want to wake her use her under arm and add a degree.”

This is probably another silly question, but is it ok to take under the arm outside of her clothes or go under them.

You have to have skin contact for any temp to be reliable. Make sure to have the thermometer in the crease of her armpit. hold her arm down close to her side until it beeps.

Quoting DEMOs Mama~PSM~OG~:“ our pedi would send us right to the ER for a fever of 104.”

I suspect the reason that she didn't want us to go was because the hospitals here are recommending that small children stay away if at all possible cause they are so overwhelmed with swine flu.

Her pedi has always said that it isn't the high fever that's the biggest problem, it's more-so if it doesn't come down with tylenol/motrin. Lacie's is so we will wait and see if she needs to go to the office tomorrow.

Quoting MommyWise{Team *PINK*}:“ You have to have skin contact for any temp to be reliable. Make sure to have the thermometer in the crease of her armpit. hold her arm down close to her side until it beeps.”

Thanks! I feel so dumb for asking. My daughter is almost 14 monthes old. She has honestly never been sick before though. I'm not sure if that's good or bad...

Oh for under arm our Pedi asks them to be unclothed on top for atleast 2 minutes before taking the temp, just because clothing can change it... But then again.. we havent had very many good pedis. lol