Thermometers

When your child says they aren’t feeling well and you’re not sure what’s wrong, the first thing most parents do is touch their child’s forehead to check for a fever. A fever indicates your child is fighting an infection or virus of some kind. Although a fever is a body’s natural response to illness, having a thermometer to keep an eye on how high it gets is an important part of treating your child’s illness.

Why do you need a thermometer?

Having a thermometer in the house is a must for any parent. You can watch over a fever to ensure it’s not getting higher, and when you know your loved one’s temperature you can decide when is the best time to treat the fever with medication.

Types of thermometer

There are several different types of thermometer you can choose for your family.

Forehead thermometer

A forehead thermometer is also called temporal thermometer. To use a temporal thermometer, you will hover or press the thermometer onto the forehead. You may need to move the thermometer around for the most accurate reading.

Ear thermometer

An ear thermometer, also known as tympanic thermometer, takes a temperature by placing the device in the ear canal. It’s an easy way to get a temperature reading on a fever, but there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind when using an ear thermometer.

If the ear thermometer hasn’t been designated as a baby thermometer or designed for all ages, you’ll want to use a different type of thermometer to get an accurate reading. You’ll also want to ensure the ear you’re placing it in doesn’t have a lot of ear wax or you may get an inaccurate reading.

Smart thermometer

A smart thermometer will connect to your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and track your data within an app. Smart thermometers will take a temperature on the forehead or ear, are easy to use, and provide an accurate read out of temperature.

Traditional or digital thermometers

A digital thermometer is the most traditional type of thermometer. They are a small device that runs on battery, and you place them in your child’s mouth, under their arm, or if indicated appropriate on the device, use them rectally to get an accurate temperature. Digital thermometers will give you a fast readout and have options to switch from Fahrenheit to Celsius.

Stick on fever strips

When considering what type of thermometer to get for your family, you may want to consider fever strips. Fever strips are a type of wearable thermometer that lets you continually monitor your child’s temperature. You’ll be able to see if the fever is getting higher just by looking on the strip.

Whether you’re looking for a baby thermometer, ear thermometer, or electronic thermometer, Best Buy offers you different thermometer options to keep track of your family while they’re ill.