Is there any point in knowing the temperature of a fever?

[dacjohns]

There are a number of places to take a temperature. Each place has its own reading for what is high or normal. For instance an arm pit reading will be different from an oral reading. You also have to place the thermometer properly.

Feeling someone's forehead or skin is not reliable. If your hands are cold the patient's forehead will feel warmer than it really is. If your hands are hot then the reverse is true.

 

[sheaviance1]

These days, after raising five younguns, I don't even own a thermometer. When my children were small, my son would have convulsions whenever his fever hit 104+, so I always checked the actual reading, especially with him, so that I could keep it below his uh-oh number. I haven't used a thermometer since the kids hit about 7 years old though.

 

[FarmerChick]

I got 1 kid and no thermometer lol

 

[ORChick]

Thermometers are a really good idea, especially for new parents. After awhile you should be able to guage the temp. pretty well just with your hand (or lips on the forehead; they are very sensitive), and by how your child is acting. As has been pointed out, a high fever can be very dangerous, especially for a young child. But a reasonably aware parent should be able to guage a child's state by feel and observation after awhile. If one does not feel comfortable doing that then a thermometer is definitely the way to go. And, as Dacjohns has pointed out, a normal reading varies depending on how the temp. is taken.

 

[Mackay]

It has been determined in the medical profession that it is not necessarily how high the fever goes in a child but how fast it goes high that is off issue. A very fast rise can cause a seizure. Febrile seizures are considered benign. In the old days a kid who got one might be on anti-seizure meds for a long time, Not so anymore.

Young children will often got up to 104 or 105. If the fever rises slowly no seizure will occur.. It it shoots up fast a seizure may occur and usually this will happen before you even know you are heading for a problem' Of course there are exceptions to every rule but generally this is how it is... and they dont run around the pediatric units anymore trying to prevent seizures that were not going to happen anyway, like they use to

Your daughter is in that inbetween stage being 13, no longer a child but not yet an adult.

Give tylenol or Ibuprofen only if she is pretty uncomfortable, where the fever is giving her distress of headache, pain, lethargy, And you do not need to give so much or repeatedly to bring it to normal.
A fever is good and it a reflection that the immue system is working as it should. At that age I would not treat the fever most of the time till it hit 102 or 103, but still based on how she feels.


As far as a thermometer goes, I can by without one.. If you are in the fear mode it can push you to treat where maybe you should not. But I used them and held my breath and practiced restraint.. only give meds if they are pretty uncomfortable and certainly if they start loosing the desire to drink.

If she is getting glassy eyed, delerious or quite red faced give tylenol. apply cool compresses to the forhead.

You do need to know if it is a bacterial issue or a viral issue. Bacterial issues need further treatment with a physicians assistance generally.

Brain damage is pretty dang rare from a fever, it would have to be over 106 for a time. 106 still is not unsusal for a small child but I certainly would be working to bring it down some with tylenol or Ibuprofen. If tylenol does not work give Ibuprofen or alternate them a few times at least 4 hours apart. Again, cool compresses.

My kids would be quite active at 104 and not want to go to bed. At 105 was crash time for them and I would give something... but I always used homeoapthics for the most part which takes some extended skill to use. We rarely used anything else.

A rectal temp is the most accurate. If you take it under the arm add one degree. Oral is somewhere inbetween and is generally close enough.

 

[Mackay]

I would add that there are a very few kids who will spike a temp very quickly time and again and are susceptible to febrile seizures..
my homoepath would say this is because their immmune system is stressed beyond the norm.....so you would have to watch out for those type... and if they have had one seizure keep an eye on them... but again it can happen so fast you don't see it coming, you may not even know that they are sick yet.

 

[Lady Henevere]

DD is feeling better today (and is halfway though a Harry Potter movie marathon). I will buy a thermometer next time I happen to be at a drug store, but I doubt I will use it unless the "kiss test" on the forehead tells me something is really wrong. (DH, on the other hand, will use it much like Pat's hubby uses theirs.)

Thanks for the responses!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Oh my gosh yes!!!! I am always careful to monitor fevers in my stepkids. Once when DSD was 3 or so she had a fever and I was home with her. She'd had a pretty persistent fever and we were rotating ibuprofen and tylenol. She woke up from nap and I took her temperature and it had spiked to 105! It was very scary for me, and luckily I was able to get the fever down by putting her in a cool bath. I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't checked it. I mean, I can tell when the kids have a fever, but my cheek isn't able to distinguish between 103 and 104 or 105. I'd rather err on the side of caution.

 

[AL]

Maybe I don't have a dog in this hunt because I don't have kids... but I don't see why it is a problem to use a thermometer? I would much rather use one and have a decent idea what is going on than to rely on my hunches - at least where a child is involved. Not saying it will change the course of treatment every time, but it will let you know if a change is needed, and hopefully in time.

Maybe it is the difference in animal brains and human brains, but 105* is damaging temp for cats and my old cat had 106* for a couple of hours.... she went blind in her right eye. Not something I would wish on a child.

 

[dacjohns]

Maybe I don't have a dog in this hunt because I don't have kids... but I don't see why it is a problem to use a thermometer? I would much rather use one and have a decent idea what is going on than to rely on my hunches - at least where a child is involved. Not saying it will change the course of treatment every time, but it will let you know if a change is needed, and hopefully in time.

Maybe it is the difference in animal brains and human brains, but 105* is damaging temp for cats and my old cat had 106* for a couple of hours.... she went blind in her right eye. Not something I would wish on a child.

I agree.

I'm not saying anyone on this thread or in these forums would do this but I see threads where people are spending hundreds of dollars on pets. Why not spend a few bucks on your children's safety.