Help! How do I take an accurate temperature (toddler)?

[cricketwife]

DS seemed a little off this afternoon after his nap and around 4 I noticed he felt a bit warm. I did the temp under the arm thing and it was 97.2, so +2 is 99.2. Right? I wasn't too concerned. Since then, he's had diarrhea and just hasn't been his usual active self.  So I took his temp rectally and it was 104.1.  That's super high, isn't it? He doesn't seem that off. And now I'm concerned because of course it's after hours for the pedi.  

Other info, strep has been going around at daycare. Could this be strep? Can they test for that immediately (as in tomorrow) because I don't want it lingering if that's it.

Am I taking his temperature correctly?

sorry for the brain dump. I just wasn't expecting this in the middle of the summer. 

[pierogigirl]

I use an Exergen temporal artery thermometer. It's what the hospital uses and I've checked its accuracy. I trust it.

Strep often presents with a fever. DS1 rarely has a sore throat with strep - a fever is our first sign. They can do a rapid strep test for an immediate, but not always accurate, result, and they can do a culture which takes a day or two. Our pedis are not overly concerned with a high fever if they are still pretty perky. You can alternate tylenol and advil to keep it under control until you can get to the doctor.

[Ashley&Scott]

I do underarm & don't add anything to it. He normally runs 97.5 or so underarm so I know when it reads 99+ he's sick.

[lulu21]

Ear. We let him 'take it himself' first. Then he's more likely to
Let me take his temp without a fuss.

[magpie]

Jul 27, 2015 16:29:03 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

I do underarm & don't add anything to it. He normally runs 97.5 or so underarm so I know when it reads 99+ he's sick.

Same.  I am maybe a little bit crazy and take her temperature too often (I run a little cooler than average, so everyone feels blazing hot to me).  I also will take her temperature a couple of times if it seems off (like if I got a 104 reading and she didn't feel THAT hot).  I make taking a temperature a game for her ("stay still and see if you can make it go beep beep!") and she enjoys it enough to stay still for me.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I'm admittedly overly scared of high fevers, but 104 would scare me. I'd take it a few times to make sure it's really that high.

Definitely give tylenol/motrin. Make sure it goes down -- if it does, then just call the doctor in the morning. If not, I'd call the on call doctor or something.

And ditto others -- rectal is the most accurate. After they're toddlers, I usually take it under the arm until they're old enough to take it orally. But my kids hate it -- even under the arm.

[Deleted]

Definitely do some Tylenol/Motrin to keep him comfortable. Poor kid.