Best Baby Thermometers of 2020

Editor’s Note: Due to current concern over COVID-19, you may be more worried than usual about your child’s health. Here’s what you need to know:

Are Children at a Higher Risk for COVID-19?

Fortunately, children aren’t at any higher risk than adults and seem to experience only mild symptoms when affected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These cold-like symptoms include fever, cough and runny nose. However, if your child has underlying medical conditions, talk to your pediatrician about what you should watch for and when to seek medical care.

What can Parents do to Protect Children?

Figuring out whether children are showing signs of COVID-19 or a cold, the flu or just plain teething symptoms is incredibly challenging, says Rebekah Wheeler, certified nurse midwife, RN, MPH, with Cleo (an online health and wellness service).

Even if your child is feeling fine right now, this could be a good time to reach out to your child’s doctor, says Wheeler. You can proactively find out:

• How to reach them after hours for something urgent
• Recommendations for treatment of fever, cough and other symptoms based on your child’s age and medical history
• When you should bring your child in for an exam or take your child directly to the hospital

Since kids catch up to 10 colds within the first two years of life, it’s good to keep infant Tylenol or acetaminophen and a thermometer on hand and know how to take a baby’s temperature too. If you’re having trouble finding either of these in stores or online, know that baby products are considered essential items and retailers are working to restock them. For example, Babylist is prioritizing essential items such as thermometers in order to get them back in stock as soon as possible, and Tylenol issued a statement saying they are “taking all possible measures to maximize product availability.”

Some retailers are only selling infant Tylenol or acetaminophen in stores (like CVS), so call ahead before you go out to avoid unnecessary travel. And note that the generic or store brands will work just fine.

Here are some retailers where you may be find infant acetaminophen:

• Rite-Aid
• Walgreen’s
• Amazon

For more information on how to protect your family from COVID-19, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Your baby has been out of sorts all day. When they’re awake, they’re fussing, and when they’re napping, it’s not for long. Are they teething? Having an off day? Or coming down with something? A thermometer can help you gauge what’s up by telling you if your little one has a fever and if a call to your pediatrician might be in order.

Do You Need a Baby Thermometer?

Keep a thermometer handy to take baby’s temperature, and you’ll be able to truly determine if your child needs a dose of medication, to see the pediatrician or just watchful waiting.

What Types of Baby Thermometers Are There?

Baby thermometers basically fall into these three basic types:

• Digital thermometers: Digital thermometers take a minute or less to record a temperature. They can be held under the tongue or in the armpit or inserted into the anus. And speaking of… We hate to break it to you, but it’s important to know that rectal temperature is the the gold standard for newborns and even older babies and toddlers. That’s because having a baby or small child hold the thermometer still in their mouth is near impossible, and an armpit reading is the least accurate measurement. Before your child is six months old, a rectal thermometer is the only reliable measurement.
• Ear thermometers: Quick and generally comfortable, ear thermometers (a.k.a. tympanic thermometers) measure the temperature inside the ear and are safe to use on babies six months and older.
• Forehead thermometers: More accurately known as temporal artery thermometers, these thermometers are swiped across the forehead to read the temperature of the major vein located there. It’s an easy, fast and non-invasive way to get a temperature on any child older than six months. You’ll typically pay more for the convenience factor of this kind of thermometer, though.

Note about pacifier thermometers: In theory, these sound awesome if your baby uses a binky. But don’t even consider these. Why? Because your baby would have to hold the pacifier still for three to five minutes in order to get a reading. And, unless sleeping, most babies wouldn’t do that. Plus, this type of thermometer is not recommended for newborns.

When to Call the Doctor if Your Baby Has a Fever

It’s always good to keep in mind when you need to call the doctor for your child’s fever and when it’s OK to let it run its course. Per the experts, you should reach out to your pediatrician if:

• Your child is younger than 3 months and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher.
• Your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 months and has a rectal temperature up to 102 F (38.9 C) and seems unusually irritable or lethargic, or has a temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C).
• Your child is between the ages of 6 and 24 months and has a rectal temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C) that lasts longer than one day but shows no other symptoms. If your child is exhibiting other signs and symptoms like a cough, cold, or diarrhea, you may want to call your child’s doctor sooner based on severity. And when in doubt, call.

Below are some thermometers you may want to consider adding to your medicine cabinet.

Choosing What’s Right for You

Remember that the rectal thermometers can be used on newborns, but you’ll need to wait until at least six months of age to use the forehead or ear thermometer and until four years old to use a thermometer in the mouth or under the arm. The right thermometer for you and your family is the one you will feel comfortable using during what can sometimes be a worrisome time. Armed with a thermometer and a good pediatrician, you can rest assured that your baby will get the care they need when they need it.