How to choose the best thermometer

• April 27, 2024

Beyond the type of thermometer you choose, be sure to know use it correctly to get an accurate reading. Today, the market offers a wide variety, from digital to mercury; All of them offer advantages and disadvantages, so it is advisable to keep and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Digital thermometers

These devices usually measure the temperature more quickly and accurately. They come in many sizes and shapes, and are available in most supermarkets and pharmacies at various prices. It is advisable to read the instructions of the manufacturer in order to determine the methods for which the thermometer is designed, many are used for the different modes of temperature measurement: oral (in the mouth), rectal (in the rectum) and axillary ( under the arm).

Electronic thermometers

Electronic ear thermometers measure the tympanic temperature : the temperature inside the auditory canal. Although they are fast, accurate and easy to use in older children, they are not as accurate as digital ones when used in babies under 3 months of age; besides, they are more expensive.

Plastic strip thermometers

They are small plastic strips that adhere on the child's forehead and can indicate if they have a fever, but they are not reliable when it comes to measuring the exact temperature, especially in infants and very young children. If you need to know the exact temperature of your child, they are not the most appropriate.

Thermometers to suck

They may seem appropriate, but they are less reliable that when the rectal temperature is taken and should not be used in babies under 3 months. In addition, it is necessary that the child keep the thermometer in the mouth for several minutes without moving, something almost impossible for most babies and young children.

Mercury thermometers

Although they are accurate and in many homes are still used, many medical institutions, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, for its acronym in English), advise not to use them for fear of possible exposure to mercury, a very dangerous environmental toxin. Since 2007, its manufacture in Spain has been banned due to its polluting effect. If you still have a mercury thermometer, I DO NOT THROW IT TO THE TRASH because this substance can leak. Better ask your doctor how to get rid of your mercury thermometer.

Who was going to tell Galileo Galilei that his thermoscope would be the antecedent of one of the most useful and popular temperature measuring instruments of many generations.

Video Medicine: What I Look For In a BBT Thermometer | Choosing Your First One (April 2024).