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• Ear thermometer or forehead thermometer – which is best?
• Forehead Thermometer
• Ear Thermometer
• So which of the two baby thermometers is best?
• Cherub Baby 4 in 1 Thermometer Features

Forehead thermometer or ear thermometer – which is best?

The undisputed must-have household item for parents is, of course, a baby digital thermometer. But should you use a digital forehead thermometer or a digital ear thermometer? Read on to find out more.

Of course, we all know that fever in children can strike at any time. Often in the middle of the night, and without warning. However, being caught unprepared is a parent’s worse nightmare. For that reason, having a reliable baby thermometer lets you know when to seek medical attention for your baby.

Firstly, the real question is which baby thermometer? There are several types of baby thermometers on the market including digital sticks, glass thermometers, pacifiers, and infrared thermometers. With so much available how do you choose which is the best?

To clarify, the two main things to look for in a good thermometer are accurate readings and ease of use.

Some of the favourites among parents are the infrared forehead and ear thermometers. But how do these two work and which is the best? In this article, we explain how they function and outline their pros and cons.

Baby Forehead Thermometer

The forehead thermometer, also known as the temporal artery thermometer, uses infrared technology to detect the temperature of the temporal artery on your baby’s forehead. For most, you simply swipe the thermometer across your baby’s forehead and you have an instant reading.

For infants younger than 3 months, experts recommend digital rectal thermometers as the most accurate. The issue here is of course ease of use and discomfort for baby. However, new studies indicate that digital forehead thermometers can be reliably used with newborns.

Advantages:

1. Easy to Use

Simply swipe the thermometer across your baby’s forehead (be sure to read the exact instructions for each thermometer as this may vary slightly). Whether your baby is fussy or fast asleep, the forehead thermometer is non-intrusive and super easy to use.

2. Fast

The forehead thermometer enables you to get your baby’s temperature reading in a flash. Most forehead thermometers will produce a beeping sound when they are done taking the reading. Time is always of the essence especially with a sick child and this thermometer ensures you do not waste any.

Disadvantages:

1. Costly

The forehead thermometer is among the most expensive on the market.

2. Varying Readings

Temperature readings may vary depending on how you swipe the thermometer. It may take some practice for some parents to master the art of taking an accurate temperature. You may need to take 2-3 readings and use the average to identify your baby’s real temperature

3. Heat Sensitive

The forehead thermometer is sensitive to heat. Changes in the environment, or if your baby is sweaty, can have an effect on its accuracy.

Baby Ear Thermometer

The ear thermometer is also known as the tympanic thermometer. Like the forehead thermometer, it uses infrared technology to read the temperature. To use, simply insert the tip of the thermometer inside your baby’s ear canal. However, experts do not recommend using ear thermometers for babies under 6 months as their ear canals are still too small.

Advantages:

1. Fast

It only takes one minute to get a reading using the ear thermometer.

2. Accurate

If inserted correctly into the ear canal, this thermometer gives an accurate reading and is a reliable way of taking your baby’s temperature.

Disadvantages:

1. Invasive

The ear thermometer has to be placed inside your baby’s ear canal for an accurate reading. Parents often have to pull their babies ears and tilt their little heads to access the ear canal, a process most babies find uncomfortable.

2. Can’t be used if the baby has an ear infection

In addition, if your child has an ear infection or a lot of wax in their ears, using an ear thermometer is not recommended.

So which of the two baby thermometers is best?

Each of these two infrared baby thermometers has their pros and cons. As discussed, the ear thermometer may provide extremely accurate readings with older children who do not mind feeling a thermometer in their ears.

However, for parents with younger children, the forehead thermometer is ideal as it is gentle and non-intrusive.

But what of households that have both older children and infants? Do they have to buy multiple thermometers? Or is there a thermometer that can be used for children of all ages?

Cherub Baby’s innovative 4 in 1 Infrared Digital Ear and Forehead Thermometer is the perfect choice for your household. This thermometer is a 5-time winner of the Mother and Baby best thermometer award.

Cherub Baby 4 in 1 Thermometer Features

So what keeps our Ear and Forehead Baby Thermometer scooping up the awards? Here are some of the best features:

• Firstly, it is super fast in taking your baby’s readings. It literally takes 1 second.
• Parents do not need to use expensive probe covers with our thermometer (just clean with an alcohol wipe).
• The baby thermometer is light in weight, easy to operate, has a built-in flashlight (a lifesaver in the middle of the night) and will auto shut off after 30 seconds.
• Whenever it records a reading exceeding 38 degrees Celsius, it produces a much-needed fever alarm.
• Finally,  The Cherub Baby Ear and Forehead thermometer has a great memory and preserves the previous 32 readings for your reference (you can also store readings for different children).

So there you have it! A reliable thermometer to help you along your parenting journey!

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