What kind of thermometer is best for babies

Read instructions first. Never leave baby unattended while you are checking his or her temperature. Best Baby Thermometer All-Around. Have to remove batteries to change scale from Fahrenheit to Celsius Not as accurate as rectal thermometers for newborns Readings may be affected by ambient temperature. Best Baby Thermometer — Rectal. Measures temperature in 10 seconds Saves last reading Provides consistent results Backlit display.

Some Amazon reviewers have complained that the battery died out after a few uses Not waterproof. May stop functioning if water leaks into the device during cleanup. Best Baby Thermometer — Non-Contact. Provides instant readings Saves up to 12 readings Talking function can be turned off Can also be used to measure room temperature Comes with a 2-year manufacturer warranty and a day money-back guarantee.

Beeps loudly while taking temperature Some users have reported inconsistent temperature readings. Best Baby Thermometer — Forehead. Not very easy to use. In the beginning, parents may need a few practice runs to get consistent, accurate readings. Results may be affected by extreme changes in room temperature. For best results, allow the thermometer to sit for a few minutes before you use it.

Best Baby Thermometer — Ear. Easy to use Measures temperature in seconds Disposable lens covers increase accuracy and prevent the spread of germs between readings Small, flexible tip makes measurement gentle on baby.

Does not have a backlit screen Failure to change lens filter before each reading may result in inaccurate measurements. However, it is not advised for newborns. Best Baby Thermometer — Affordability. Oral, underarm or rectal use Over-insertion gauge Affordable Saves last reading.

Basic baby thermometer Not as fast as forehead thermometers. Best Baby Thermometer — App-Enabled. Image: Kinsa. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.

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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Healthy Lifestyle Infant and toddler health. Products and services. Thermometer basics: Taking your child's temperature Thermometer choices got you baffled?

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Schmitt BD. Itasca, Ill. Ward M, et al. Fever in infants and children: Pathophysiology and management. Accessed Dec. Because of this, the other Amplim might have the advantage since, as we've covered, sitting still is not a thing babies like to do.

But the Amplim F1 makes up for this shortcoming with its versatility. Removing the cap exposes a tapered sensor probe and automatically switches the thermometer to ear mode.

In addition, there's a dedicated baby mode button, which activates a special calibration for children younger than three years old. But the Kinsa's real value is its built-in app connectivity, which brings to the table a modern way to measure, track and interpret your children's temperature readings on your smartphone. Once you've downloaded the Kinsa app on your phone and created an account, you can pair it to your QuickCare via Bluetooth.

The thermometer will now send readings to the app. When a temperature is received, the app will ask you who it belongs to. You can create a profile for each member of your family, and based on age and reported symptoms of the user, the app can advise you on what to do. If your baby has a fever, it's going to tell you to contact your doctor pretty much every time. But based on the symptoms you input it might tell you to skip that step entirely and head straight to the emergency room.

Hopefully you never have to see that alarming message, but it's good to know you'll get a warning just in case. Also, if you take your child's temperature regularly, the app's tracking can give you a good idea of what a normal temperature looks like for them. As for the thermometer itself, it has a relatively large circular LCD screen with colored backlighting, making it easy to read in the dark.

The probe tip is very flexible, which makes it comfortable for taking temperature orally and I assume rectally. One complaint I have is that the rubber-covered waterproof button is hard to depress. Sometimes simple is best, and that's exactly what you get with the Vicks ComfortFlex. At its core, the ComfortFlex isn't much different from the digital thermometer you grew up with.

But a few added features increase its usability and style. A circular LCD screen makes possible larger digits, which makes the ComfortFlex easier to read than you'd expect from such a small thermometer. Another welcome feature is the backlighting, which illuminates the screen so you can still read it in the dark.

Like other higher-priced thermometers on this list, the ComfortFlex features color-coded lights that correspond to temperature -- once again green for normal, yellow for low fever and red for high fever. Like all stick thermometers, the Vicks ComfortFlex gives you the flexibility to measure temperature orally, rectally or under the arm. The thermometer comes with a pack of disposable probe covers, which you should definitely use if you plan to take readings rectally.

If you do that, your baby will likely appreciate this thermometer's flexible probe. It takes about 10 seconds to get a reading, so having a comfortable probe tip might mean the difference between an accurate measurement and an outright rectal refusal.

Measuring temperature by way of the rectum is by far the ickiest method, but it's also the one most recommended for small children, especially infants. So if you have to take your baby's temperature this way, you might as well do it with the best dedicated rectal thermometer on the market: The Fridababy Quick-Read Rectal Thermometer.

Part of what makes the Fridababy so good at its job is its flexible probe tip that protrudes only three quarters of an inch, just enough to land it in the sweet spot for an accurate measurement. Then there's the wide, ovular shape of the thermometer, which naturally prevents over-insertion. And true to its name, the Quick-Read delivers results in about 10 seconds. To my surprise, I was able to get in and out with the Frida before my daughter showed any signs of discomfort.

Another thing the Frida has going for it is its large digital screen with bright backlighting. It's easy to read and continues to display the last temperature reading until you power it down.

The thermometer is water-resistant and is recommended to be wiped down with soapy water or alcohol after each use, because ew. Some of the most sleepless nights you can have are nights when your baby isn't feeling well. When your infant has even the slightest hint of a fever around bedtime, anxiety can rob you of much-needed shut-eye.

It's those nights you might wish you had a Vava smart thermometer. Unlike the other thermometers on this list, the Vava isn't made for measuring temperature on the spot.

Instead, it's designed to monitor body temperature over a long period of time. The Vava consists of a rechargeable base with LED display, remote thermometer probe and a number of adhesive patches for attaching the thermometer in place. The thermometer sticks to your baby's side with the probe end tucked in the armpit. The thermometer connects wirelessly to the base automatically and will continuously send updates throughout the night.

If a fever is detected, an alarm will sound and the temperature reading will flash. A high fever warning, which triggers at Additionally, the base will alert you when the probe battery is low, the patch has fallen off or the probe is out of range. The thermometer has a foot range, which was enough to remain connected in any room of my house.

The base also serves as a storage box for the other pieces and a charger for the thermometer probe. The base itself recharges via a USB-C cable and has a claimed battery life of 24 hours when fully charged. That's nothing compared to the price of the unit itself, however.

But for some, the peace of mind it offers could be worth it.