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Digital thermometer
Fast, accurate and easy-to-read thermometer.
Good forEveryone
- Price and delivery confirmed first
- A nurse can advise before you buy
- Set-up help when it is needed
What it is, and who it helps
A digital thermometer gives a quick, accurate temperature reading and is one of the most useful things in a medicine cupboard. In older people, a fever may be small or absent even in a serious infection, so any rise in temperature matters.
Forehead, ear and under-arm models are available; each has its own technique and accuracy.
How to choose
- Choose a thermometer with a large display, a fast reading and a beep to signal completion.
- Pick the type your parent can use easily: a forehead thermometer is quick and non-contact, an oral or under-arm one is cheap.
- Check it has a fever alarm and memory.
- Look for easy-to-clean surfaces and replaceable batteries.
Using it safely
- Follow the instructions for each type, and wait after a hot drink, bath or exercise before taking a temperature.
- Clean the thermometer after each use.
- Call a doctor for a fever with confusion, breathlessness, a new cough or reduced urine, since older adults can deteriorate quickly.
Before you buy
What temperature counts as a fever?
Generally 38 degrees Celsius or above, but older people may be unwell with a lower reading. Look at how they are, not just the number.
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General information, not medical advice. Ask a doctor, nurse or physiotherapist what is right for your parent.
Not sure this is the right one?
A nurse can suggest the right choice, arrange delivery and show how to use it.