Mums to Be Need a Baby Ear Thermometer
All babies get ill for time to time and an increase in temperature is nothing unusual. It’s the body’s natural reaction to help fight off micro-organisms. However, occasionally the body can overreact which leads to dangerous rises in core body temperature which can be very serious. Monitoring your baby’s temperature during illness is therefore very important.
Up until very recently the favored method of monitoring a baby’s temperature was via the rectal route. Although this gives a very accurate temperature reading the disadvantages of this approach are obvious. Firstly it requires planning and cooperation. Secondly it is unpleasant for your baby and not particularly kind if he or she is already feeling unwell. Thirdly, it takes time for the reading to stabilize.
Baby ear thermometers now represent a great alternative to conventional methods but it is only recently that their use has become widespread. This is largely down to a significant reduction in costs over recent years. Costs were previously prohibitively high for home use.
They work based on very different technology to traditional thermometers. Traditional thermometers incorporate a liquid (normally mercury) that conducts heat when placed in a body orifice, expands and is forced up a tiny tube that runs up the center of the thermometer. In this way the temperature can be read off the scale. Baby ear thermometers work by quantifying the amount of infrared energy that is emitted – invisible energy that is given off by all warm objects. By doing this temperature can be quickly and accurately quantified.
The ear represents one of the optimal sites for measuring body temperature. Inserting a small sensor into the ear causes minimal discomfort and stress. The ear is also not affected by fluctuations in local temperature (such as inside the mouth for instance where recent hot or cold drinks can have a big impact).
Generally speaking baby ear thermometers are very easy to use. You normally just place them in the ear canal, push a button and wait for a second or so for the result to appear on the display. Some of the very best also provide you with feedback while you are using them. For example they will tell you when the thermometer is in the correct place to give a reading and also tell you when an accurate reading has been obtained. Some even warm up the ear piece to avoid discomfort and increase the accuracy of the reading.
Baby ear thermometers are not solely for use on babies. They can in fact often be used in the whole family ranging all the way up to adults.
Although there are many options available to all parents baby ear thermometers represent one of the most practical and cost effective methods of monitoring your baby’s body temperature during illness. They are extremely easy to use and the costs now make them an option for all families. They are a great investment which you will use again and again.
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