Digital thermometers are becoming an increasingly popular choice for Australian households due to its speed, efficiency, and ease of use. Most digital thermometers have a LED display that shows you the temperature reading.

In general, there are two types of thermometers. Non contact thermometers can measure body temperature without touching the skin. Contact thermometers must touch the body in order to measure temperature.

To assure that digital thermometer readings be as precise and informative as possible, the device must be used and read correctly. Thermometers come in a variety of styles. It is therefore important to understand the different types of thermometers and how to pick the right thermometer for you.

Choosing the thermometer that's best for your family can be confusing. Here's what you need to know about the most common thermometers.

Non Contact Thermometers (Forehead and Ear Thermometers) 

Numerous schools, businesses, and health care facilities conduct fever screenings on visitors. Non contact thermometers are typically forehead thermometers and ear thermometers. 

Forehead Thermometers

Remote forehead thermometers monitor the temperature in the forehead using an infrared scanner.

Advantages:

A remote temporal artery thermometer can be used to swiftly take a person's temperature and is generally well tolerated. It works well as a baby thermometer as children of any age can use forehead thermometers.

Disadvantages:

Forehead thermometers may be more expensive than other types of thermometers. Furthermore, this type of thermometer is likely to be less precise than others. Temperature readings might be influenced by direct sunshine, cold weather, or a sweaty brow. Variations in user technique, such as holding the scanner too close to the forehead, may potentially impair accuracy. It is therefore recommended to take 3 readings and take the average when take forehead thermometer readings.

Ear Thermometers

Ear thermometers, also known as tympanic thermometers, are infrared thermometers which measure the temperature inside the ear canal. 

Advantages:

Infrared ear thermometers, when used appropriately, are rapid and generally comfortable for as baby thermometers, or for use on children and adults.

Infants older than six months, older children, and adults can use infrared ear thermometers.

Disadvantages:

• Earwax or a tiny, bent ear canal can impair the accuracy of an infrared ear thermometer reading.
• Thermometer reading can vary, therefor it is recommended to the the average of three readings when measuring temperature with an ear thermometer.

Please note that mercury thermometers, once a common fixture in most medical cabinets, employ mercury enclosed in glass to determine body temperature. Mercury thermometers are no longer advised due to the possibility of them breaking and allowing hazardous mercury to escape.

Contact Thermometers

The most common kind of contact thermometer uses electronic heat sensors to record body temperature. These thermometers can be used on the forehead, mouth, armpit or rectum. 

Rectal temperatures provide the most-accurate readings for infants, especially those 3 months or younger, as well as children up to age 3. Temperatures taken from the armpit are can also be recommended in Australia. For older children and adults, oral readings are usually accurate — as long as the mouth is closed while the thermometer is in place.

Advantages

Most electronic contact thermometers can record temperatures from the forehead, mouth, armpit or rectum, often in less than one minute. An electronic contact thermometer is appropriate for newborns, infants, children and adults.

Disadvantages

Parents may worry about causing discomfort when taking a child's temperature rectally, as this can be in-convenient and troublesome. 

For oral thermometer readings, you need to wait 15 minutes after eating or drinking to take an oral temperature. Otherwise, the temperature of your food or drink might affect the thermometer reading. In addition, It can be difficult for children or anyone who breathes through the mouth to keep their mouths closed long enough to get an accurate oral reading.

If you plan to use an electronic contact thermometer to take both oral and rectal temperatures, be sure to get two thermometers and label one for oral use and one for rectal use. Don't use the same thermometer in both places.

Wearable Thermometers

The wearable thermometer is attempting to outdo the forehead strips. It will, in theory, inform you via an app if your child's temperature rises to a fever level. As with the forehead strips, these are suspicious. Additionally, if you've read anything I've written on fever previously (such as this post about fever myths), you're probably aware that I believe it is unnecessary to monitor your child's temperature every second of the night.