Thursday, March 11, 2010

Mama Buzz Review and Giveaway: Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer

Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer MODEL# 2000COne task most new moms dread is taking their baby's temperature.  When I had my oldest, they taught us how to when I was in the hospital and our discharge kit included a glass rectal thermometer.  Of course you not only had to know how to insert it, but how to read it.  Baby wasn't fond of the operation either.  Next, the ear thermometers were the thing, and I guess they still sell them.  My doctor's office used them for a while, but quit, saying they weren't accurate.  I just thought they were expensive.  I bought a digital thermometer and used it under my kids arms, or, when they got older, in their mouths.  Still, my preferred method of temperature taking was to kiss their forehead and declare that they didn't have a fever, had a low fever, or a high fever.  I really didn't see the need to know more than that most of the time and the in-exact nature of my method did not matter.

I recently received a free review sample of the latest thing in thermometers, an Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer. I wish it had been in my discharge kit when I had my first baby, and it will be the device we will use here to measure temperature.  You simply uncap the device (my kids have found that it doesn't work well if you forget this step) and swipe it across the patient's forehead.  The temperature is displayed digitally.

Does it work?  Well, at this moment, my entire family is healthy, so we all should have temps at or near 98.6. I didn't check us with the other thermometers because I couldn't find them, and besides, my test subjects don't like them.  I went to each person and scanned his/her forehead five times, one right after the other, so presumably there should have been no change, as each  person was seated when it was his/her turn.  Here are the results:

Dad:  98.2, 97.9, 97.8, 98.1, 98.3
17 y.o.:  97.9, 98.0, 97.6, 97.4, 98.0
14 y.o.  99.6, 98.6, 98.5, 98.3, 98.3
5 y.o.:  99, 99, 98.9, 99.2, 99

My conclusions:  If you need a thermometer to take your child's temperature to see if she/he has a fever, and having the thermometer off by a tenth of a degree or so isn't going to make a difference, then I'd say this is the device for you.  It is big enough that is isn't going to get lost in a drawer and in the real world, for taking the temperature of a sick child, it doesn't really matter if the "real" temperature is 102.8 or 103.  It is easy to use, and if your child doesn't want to cooperate, holding anyone below the age of about 10 still enough to use this long enough to use it, should be possible, whereas most other methods require at least a modicum of cooperation from the child.  Using other types of thermometers may give results just as inconsistent as these (or more so if affected by things such as ambient temperature or food/drink intake, or the child not holding the  thermometer properly in his/her mouth).  Amazon.com sells them for $33.29 Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer MODEL# 2000C which I consider very reasonable for never having to fight to take a child's temperature.

If you are charting basal body temps as a method of family planning, I'm not sure if this would give consistent enough results for that.  (If you aren't familiar with temperatures and Natural Family Planning, you are looking for a 4/10 degree rise in your temp, taken before you get out of bed in the morning).  I'm not ovulating regularly anymore so I didn't use myself as a test subject.  If anyone has tried it for that use, I'd love to hear about it.

For more information, check out the Exergen website and Exergen's Facebook Page (which links to giveaways).

If this sounds like the thermometer for you, I am able to offer you a $5.00 rebate coupon so that you may purchase one.

Also, the nice folks at Exergen are allowing me to give away one free TemporalScanner Thermometer to be mailed to the US or Canada only.  Contest ends April 1, 2010.

Rules:
For one entry, leave a comment telling why you want to win, and leaving me an email address.
For another entry, blog, tweet, facebook etc. about this contest, and leave me a link.
For another entry, check my archives for last March.  Leave a comment on the review of a book you'd like to read, and a comment here saying which book you'd like to read.
For another entry, follow me, or tell me that you already do.

This is a MamaBuzz review, and if you check the MamaBzz site, you'll find links to other tour stops (and giveaways) (It isn't up yet, but should be soon).
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27 comments:

  1. I'd like to win this thermometer because it’s so non-invasive you can take a baby’s temperature in their sleep.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I too wondered if it would work for basal body temps.... but I haven't taken those in a few years relying on only one fertility sign and the fact that at my age I have less than a 2% chance of getting pregant

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd like to win so I can give it to friend who will be a first time mommy soon :)

    mbyarsgray@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm following you :)

    mbyarsgray@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd like to win because we're currently using a 30+ year old forehead thing that is like a mood ring (the colours change according to how hot you are). It's not exactly the most accurate!
    This sounds way better!

    I don't think it would be accurate enough for BBT readings, either. I have an oral digital thermometer for that which I think is better for the purpose (they're pretty inexpensive online, too).
    ebickell at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:34 PM

    Wow! I would love to win this thermometer because my precious 5 week old would appreciate the temperature taking while mommy and daddy could rest easy with how to use it! Thanks for the contest!

    pksteen@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. LOL. I have no need for this because I use the kiss on the forehead method! My pediatrician's office just deals with it. I think once you have older kids (as in past infancy), the whole thermometer thing is overrated. And I'm NOT giving up my mercury thermometers!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love that it's totally non invasive and takes the temp in mere seconds
    thanks for the chance
    msboatgal at aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would love to win because it has been years since I have bought a new thermometer. Since I am now a grandma, I think this themometer would be a great thing to have. Every household, no matter how old or young the residents, needs a good, up to date thermometer. This looks like the perfect one to have.

    Thank you for the neat giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I went back to your reviews from last March and re-read them. There were actually 3 books that I would be interested in reading - New Hampshire Weddings because a good book of romance short stories is always a fun, enjoyable read. The second book is Fifty is Not a Four Letter Word because I am in that fifty plus age group. I liked your honest review of this one and I too think I would want to shake the shoulders of the main character. I believe that you can enjoy life at any age! The third book from last March that looked interesting to me was Yesterday's Embers. It sounds like a sad and haunting book from the chapter in the review, but your review shows that the book does become more hopeful. I think it would be a great read.

    I left comments on all 3 of the above books' reviews.

    Cindy
    Socmom213@aol.com

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  11. I follow your blog on Google.

    Cindy
    Socmom213@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. After seeing one in use at Urgent Care with 3yo and her double ear infection, I never want to stick a thermometor in her sore ear again!!!

    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Tweeted (coolestmommy)

    http://twitter.com/Coolestmommy/statuses/10447163413

    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Follow your blog

    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I want to read Katt’s in the Cradle: A Secrets from Lulu's Cafe Novel


    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have 2 preschoolers and temperature taking is usually a time of screaming and fighting. I would look forward to the calm this thermometer would bring to a stressful time.

    julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a follower through google.

    julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've had this used on me the last couple times I went to the doctor and it was great! The medical professionals all seem to think really highly of it.
    amanda
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. tweet
    http://twitter.com/catss99/status/10709437402
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm a current follower
    catss99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi! A nice, new, EASY way to take my baby's temp would be great! email: sarahs_rosaries@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am a current follower: sarahs_rosaries@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would love to win so that I can give this as a gift to a close friend that is due to have her first baby in a few months. She would love it


    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. tweeted

    http://twitter.com/Prairiebelle/status/11362164227


    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I follow your blog


    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I want to win because I am a mom who hates taking my kids temperatures. I just know that a struggle will ensue and so I avoid it at all cost. That being said, I believe that this product would calm both myself and my child to taking their temperature. It is great because I don't have to poke an already sick grumpy child and I can even do it while they are resting.

    Thanks!
    angiedkelly at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I follow your blog

    angiedkelly at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete


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