Forehead Fever Reading?
Written: Apr 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, Pain-free
Cons: Questionable reliability, Not useful when calling MD
The Bottom Line: Convenient temperature-taking comes at a price: Unreliability. Skip this gadget and do things the old fashioned way.
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| LRGuis's Full Review: Forehead Fever Thermometer |
Mothers have this inborn ability to place a hand on a child's forehead and announce whether or not they have a fever. My mom got so good at it, she'd even give a reading that was usually pretty accurate. More accurate, in fact, than the Forehead Fever Thermometer from Gerber.
This handy little device can be found at most local pharmacies and "variety" retailers (those stores like Target, WalMart, Kmart...) It almost resembles a few frames of camera film and feels about as flimsy. When placed on a child's forehead it gives a reading rounded to the nearest degree. No 98.7 here, instead you'll get 99. In theory, anyway.
Now, just for fun I decided to test drive this little device on the forehead of a very willing 5 year old assistant. The best feature of this "thermometer" (the term is used loosely here) is the benefit to the child. There's no sticking that thermometer in places where it doesn't feel so good, no gagging on a thermometer placed under the tongue. All in all, a good experience for a reluctant patient.
Placed on my son's forehead I received a reading that was pretty close to normal. The display was adequate and he was pleased to be deemed "normal". Time to try again: somehow he spiked a fever by simply sitting in the bathroom assisting me with his forehead. We were up almost two degrees. Of course I now worried that he was in the midst of getting sick and I just happened to pick the wrong time to do some Epinions research. One more trial found his temperature normal again.
To be honest, I admitted that kind of "accuracy" from a product like this. It appeared better suited for testing bath water, than for temperature reliability. For $2.99 I could afford to test drive this one with minimal investment. Yet, parents who feel they can rely on this one: Think Again! If your physician's office is anything like mine, fevers called in using anything less than a rectal temperature on your young ones, and an oral temperature on your older children will not be considered reliable.
Beyond testing the bath water, perhaps this is a good quick reading for moms and dads who just want to make sure the little one isn't running a temperature. Even in that regard, I hesitate recommending this little gadget. In fact, I think you are best leaving this one on the shelf at WalMart and doing things the old fashioned way. Sometimes convenience comes at too high of a price.
Recommended:
No
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