Let’s talk thermometers

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Let’s talk thermometers:

seems to be consistent

And that's probably the second biggest virtue (accuracy being first, of course).

[Doctor Phibes]

If it's not consistent, it almost certainly isn't accurate.

The problem with the forehead method is we don't know how accurately it's going to perform if anybody does get a fever, and at that point, it's probably too late to worry.

I think I might buy a liquid-in-glass as a backup. At least, I would if I could find one.

[Klaus]

The main problem with thermometers is to have a consistent strategy in the family whether to stick it in the mouth or - well, you know the other location. It's preferable not to mix this up.

[Doctor Phibes]

I heard that the rectal method was more accurate, but I can't get the freaking IR beam to shine up there.

[Jolly]

Of course, it's a pain to clean up mercury after one of the old thermometers would break.

And if you think that's fun, I had a gal drop a column barometer she was cleaning. Probably 300 or 400 mls of mercury. Everywhere!

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Let’s talk thermometers:

I heard that the rectal method was more accurate, but I can't get the freaking IR beam to shine up there.

You know the difference between a rectal and an oral thermometer, of course....

[LuFins Dad]

@George-K said in Let’s talk thermometers:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Let’s talk thermometers:

I heard that the rectal method was more accurate, but I can't get the freaking IR beam to shine up there.

You know the difference between a rectal and an oral thermometer, of course....

Depends on who is talking, no?

[George K]

@LuFins-Dad said in Let’s talk thermometers:

You know the difference between a rectal and an oral thermometer, of course....

Depends on who is talking, no?

The taste.

[jon-nyc]

I know this isn’t helpful in the moment, but don’t presume accuracy, just get a baseline.

I take my temperature every morning and have done so for over 4 years with the same device. It is always quite low, some of that is me, some of that is probably the device. But I don’t care because I know what is a normal read.

In early March I bought two more devices for Rachel and the boy. Just during covid, they’ve been taking it every day also,

[Doctor Phibes]

@jon-nyc said in Let’s talk thermometers:

I know this isn’t helpful in the moment, but don’t presume accuracy, just get a baseline.

That's what we've been doing, too. The IR thermometer consistently reads around 97.6, so I'm assuming it's about a degree low. Hopefully this will remain constant in the event of a fever.