LITTLE ROCK — Most flu symptoms for swine and seasonal flu are easy to recognize. Coughing, sneezing, chills, sore throat, headache, body aches, nausea are all obvious. But what about fever?
Mom’s hand on a forehead might be soothing, but doctors say you need a good thermometer to really know just how ill you are. And you need to know how to use it.
Dr. M. Michael Eisenfeld, a pediatrician at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., says you can spend hundreds of dollars on a professional thermometer for the greatest accuracy. But inexpensive models designed for home use can do a good job if used properly.
The best way to measure a temperature at home is rectally, particularly for babies or children younger than 4 or 5 who can’t keep a thermometer in their mouths long enough for a good reading. Next best are oral and ear measurements. Accuracy is especially important when it comes to swine flu, Eisenfeld said, since fever is one of the defining symptoms of swine flu, also known as H1N1. But sometimes the best temperature-taking method is the one your child will cooperate with. Just tell your health-care provider how you took the temperature if you call to report a fever.
Here’s more on fevers and thermometers:
What’s a normal body temperature?
The average temperature is 98.6 degrees, but it can vary a bit, usually hitting a low in the morning and rising in the early evening. It may be higher if you have been exercising or if it’s a hot day. Women also tend to fluctuate due to menstruation and ovulation.
To find your normal temperature, take it in the morning and in the evening for a few days when you are feeling well. The average of those readings is your normal body temperature.
What’s a fever?
For most children and adults, a fever is:
Oral temperature of 100 degrees or higher.
Rectal or ear temperature of 100.4 or higher.
Armpit temperature of 99 or higher.
Pacifier temperature of 100 or higher.
How do I choose a thermometer?
Digital thermometers are easy to read, quick and accurate. They can be used in the mouth, rectum or armpit. They usually beep and flash a number in the window on the front when a reading is complete, so there’s no guesswork on how long to use it. Some use disposable plastic sleeves or covers. They can be found for less than $10 at drugstores, grocery stores and online.
Ear thermometers, the method many doctors use, are available for home use for about $30. The coneshape end is placed in the ear canal and results appear on a display window in seconds.
Forehead thermometers test the skin temperature with a soft disc or plastic strip pressed against the forehead. Some change color, some light up when a reading is complete. They are not considered as accurate as digital or ear thermometers.
Pacifier thermometers have a nipple, which the baby sucks on for three to four minutes. They are not considered as accurate as others, but can give you a general idea whether your child has a fever and should be tested rectally. Around$3 to $5.
OK, I have a good thermometer. Other tips?
Make sure you leave the thermometer in place long enough to get a good reading. Digital models with a timer make this easy.
Wait at least 20 minutes after smoking, eating or drinking, and at least 1 hour after vigorous activity, exercise or taking a hot bath before taking a temperature.
If your patient will cooperate, take the temperature three times and average the result.
Do I need a separate thermometer for everyone in the family?
Ideally, you shouldn’t share thermometers. And definitely don’t use a thermometer in the mouth that’s been used rectally.
Always clean a thermometer well after each use. Follow manufacturer’s instructions or wash the sensor end of the thermometer carefully with cool water and soap, then wipe with alcohol. Allow it to dry thoroughly before using again.
I’ve still got an old glass mercury thermometer. Why would I give it up?
Because mercury is toxic, and if the thermometer breaks it could leak. That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends removing them from the home. Call your county’s solid waste management department to find out how to dispose of it safely; just throwing it in the trash is not acceptable.
Family, Pages 36 on 12/30/2009