It’s that time of year again.  The schools are off and families start to prepare to disappear on their summer holiday.  However, for families with a baby there’s never a more important time to invest in a baby ear thermometer. 

When away from home it’s critical have access to all the devices that you need to monitor your baby or young child when sick.  And, especially when abroad, you and your baby will be exposed to a whole variety of new microorganisms that your immune system has never seen before.  Illness is therefore more likely than ever. 

A baby ear thermometer is a great way of monitoring the progress of any illness that your baby suffers from.  It’s also critical to monitor your baby for any significant changes in core body temperature that could put them a serious risk of serious long term consequences.

An ear thermometer enables you to monitor core body temperature very accurately and with minimal fuss or discomfort.  As highlighted in previous posts they are also appropriate for use in older children and adults.

As with all things it’s important to prepare in advance of your trip.  When you are in unfamiliar environments it often difficult to know where to purchase reliable devices.  Make sure that you buy one in advance of your holiday.

An accident with a conventional mercury filled thermometer the other day helped to appreciate just how dangerous they are.  I was feeling under the weather and put the thermometer under my tongue.  While pottering around the bathroom I opened the bathroom cabinet door towards me and snapped the thermometer clean in half.  The mercury spilled out and splinters of masks spilt scattered all over the floor.  What if the mercury had spilled into my mouth?  What if a child or my partner were standing next to me?  What if I didn’t manage to clear it up properly and it was found by a child or a pet?  Mercury thermometers truly are dangerous and in this day and age they are completely unnecessary.  For just a little extra cash you can get robust ear thermometer that it is not only safer,  but much quicker and easier to use. If you want to go for a cheaper option then a digital oral thermometer is a great alternative.

Yes - baby ear thermometers can be used by adults.  They are a great investment for the entire family.

If only I had a pound for every time I was asked that question.  Seriously, it’s a very common question.  The answer to the question is a resounding yes.  Baby ear thermometers just quantify the amount of infra-red radiation emitted within the ear.  It doesn’t make any difference to the device whether it’s the ear of a baby, an older child or an adult - the end result is the same.  These products are of course targeted at babies in terms if marketing efforts - this is predominantly because most would prefer to buy a conventional thermometer if just intended for adults use (much cheaper).  However, they work just as well in all users.

The next question that I’m asked is that when used on babies the device is operated by someone else, so is it possible to take one’s own temperature?  Again, the answer to this question is yes.  These devices are very simply to use just involving inserting the sensor into the ear and pushing a button.  it’s very easy to take your own temperature.

If you have bought a baby ear thermometer recently the body temperature reading that’s considered to be normal will be included in the instruction manual that accompanies the product.  However, generally speaking normal body temperature is very difficult to define because it depends on so many variables.  For instance body temperature can vary by as much as 0.5 degrees Celsius over the course of the day reaching it’s lowest two hours before you wake.  Body temperature readings can also be influenced by environmental changes - e.g. hot or cold drinks if you use the oral route.

Body temperature is quite often quoted to be 37 degrees Celsius.  This is probably the most broadly accepted standard.  However, in humans the official average is 36.8 degrees Celsius although this will vary from person to person and over the course of any day.  Children also develop higher body temperatures during physical activity - this is perfectly normal.

Body temperature often rises during illness but this is normally nothing to worry about.  The medical term for this is pyrexia.  However, temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are defined as hyperthermia which is a potentially life compromising condition.  Common symptoms include headache, confusion and fatigue.  This condition requires immediate medical attention.

The baby ear thermometer is one of the best devices for measuring body temperature in babies and infants as it requires no cooperation and returns a very quick reading typically in under a second.  In this way it is possible to frequently monitor your babies body temperature during illness to ensure that medical attention can be sought if your baby becomes hyperthermic.

If you want to learn more about what is considered to constitute core body temperature then click here.

An Indian airport in Pune has recently started using ear thermometers to monitor for H1N1 flu on people arriving from international flights.  The ear thermometer represents a great device for monitoring the temperature of large numbers of travelers very quickly and hygienically.  With results displayed typically under two seconds travelers arriving from international destinations can be screened and quarantined as needed.  Hygiene is not a problem as some come with disposable plastic caps (lenses) which can be changed between patients.  Others can be cleaned very easily with a sterilizing spray or wipe.  So far 3 340 passengers have been monitored and no suspected cases of H1N1 have been found.

You can read the full article here.

The space race has led to some significant developments in technology and the ear thermometer is no exception.  In a recent article in the Gainesville daily register the development of the infra-red sensor, now common place in the baby ear thermometer, seems to have come from space-race technology.  The infrared sensor seems to have been invented by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and is able to quickly and accurately establish levels of infra-red radiation emitted into the ear canal by the ear drum.  Other examples of common products which originated from NASA include scratch resistant lenses, invisible braces, shoe insoles, cordless tools and memory foam.

As highlighted elsewhere in this site modern baby ear thermometers incorporate cutting edge technology and are one of the most important ways of ensuring the safety of your baby during illness.

We are all guilty of procrastination to a certain extent - why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?  However, if you haven’t bought a baby ear thermometer yet there is no better or more important time to invest in one.  With swine flu raging and the incidence increasing exponentially it is more important than ever to have access to an accurate a reliable way of monitoring your baby’s temperature.  Firstly, if you need medical assistance one of the first questions that you will be asked is whether your baby has a raised temperature.  It is also very important to follow the progress of the illness at to look out for significant increases in temperature which could put your baby at risk of long term complications (including fitting, coma, brain damage and even death).  The demand for ear thermometers has risen significantly over recent weeks.  Due to possible concerns about out of stocks we would strongly recommend that you consider purchasing one at the earliest opportunity to ensure that you can properly care for your baby should the worst happen.  We would also like to highlight that the baby ear thermometer is also suitable for use on older children, adults and the elderly and therefore represents and very important device for monitoring the progress of swine flu should it infect your family.

The baby ear thermometer has been listed in the 92 years of amazing mum moments in an article published by the San Francisco Chronicle where it is stated that “It makes taking temperatures faster and more comfortable than the anal alternative — for both moms and babies!”  You can read the full article here.  It ranks with other breakthroughs including in vitro fertilisation (test tube babies), tax free college savings plans, folic acid and the first mothers day (back in 1914)!  Well worth a read.

We tend to assume that the baby ear thermometer is relatively modern invention.  Although current devices are significantly different from the original baby ear thermometer they were in fact invented in 1964 by Dr. Theodor H. Benzinger, who died in 1999 aged 94.  Dr. Benzinger was a researcher in at the Naval Medical Research Institute and his aim was try and establish a better way of monitoring core body temperature by determining the temperature of the hypothalamus (the part of the brain responsible for controlling core body temperature).  Previously the only way of achieving this was to implant electrodes into the hypothalamus itself (in fact Dr. Benzinger is rumored to have had electrodes implanted into his own hypothalamus as part of his research!).  He established that the ear canal was an excellent location to determine core body temperature as the ear drum shares blood vessels with the hypothalamus.  Other inventions included the microcalorimeter and human microcalorimeter.  Dr. Benzinger also made a significant contribution to establishing the field of biothermodynamics.  He served as a test pilot during the war and also established that air embolisms play a significant role in death by explosion.  For more information you can read his obituary here.

When looking at modern devices we often forget to appreciate their routes.  The baby ear thermometer is now 45 years old but it is only recently that it has become common place for use in the home.

Hello and welcome to our new blog dedicated to everything baby ear thermometer.  You can return to the main site at any time by clicking here.