How to take your temperature
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Tuesday Jul 28 2009
In the UK, the scourge of swine flu is much more widespread than it is in Ireland -- so far. A persistent complaint among doctors there fielding panicked phone calls about swine flu is that patients have often failed to take their temperatures before dialling. Here are some tips on how to do it properly.
- A temperature above 38°C suggests an infection -- though swine flu is only one of many possible causes.
Ideally, take two separate readings 20 minutes apart, and check that the thermometer is clean.
- An old-fashioned mercury thermometer is fine for use by adults but not by children (who might bite the glass and ingest mercury, which is poisonous). It should be shaken before use.
- Digital thermometers can be used in the mouth (under the tongue for two or three minutes) or, less preferably, under the arm (which might be easier for a child).
- An armpit reading can be obtained by placing the thermometer against the skin under the arm and holding the arm against the chest.
It can take as long as five minutes. The reading will be slightly lower than the body's core temperature -- so add 0.5°C.
If placing it under the tongue, don't do it just after eating something hot or cold; wait 10 minutes and then take a reading.
- Thermometer strips, which are held against the forehead, measure skin temperature and are relatively crude.
They should be held in place -- fingers away from the temperature-sensitive panels -- for two to three minutes.
- Ear thermometers are very accurate but expensive. Read the instructions to find out how long a reading will take.
If a person has been lying down or been outside, wait 15 minutes for body temperature to stabilise before doing the reading.
