NCEPR: @don't peds normally take temp?

[shadow]

The thread about vaccines and having a temp made me wonder. Isn't it pretty standard for peds to take a temperature at every appt? DD's ped always does, but DS' ped (we take him to a different one) never does. I find this odd.

[earlgreyhot]

I don't think mine does.

[ttt]

I find that strange too. I've never even been to a doctor's appointment myself, as an adult, where they didn't take my temperature. I thought that was pretty much standard practice for all medical appointments.

Why does he go to a different ped?

[psyck]

Mine does.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

The nurse ALWAYS does at every appt. If he's due for a vaccine and he has a temperature, we have to bring him back in a week or so after he's feeling better.

[pescalita]

We go to a family practice, they don't take anyone's temp as standard.

[meg]

our pedi does not

[Deleted]

They do it at every appointment for us. I am kind of side eyeing peds who don't, actually.

[shadow]

May 20, 2012 9:20:04 GMT -5 ttt said:

I find that strange too. I've never even been to a doctor's appointment myself, as an adult, where they didn't take my temperature. I thought that was pretty much standard practice for all medical appointments.

Why does he go to a different ped?

A friend of mine takes her son to the new ped and loved him and I'm not totally crazy (their billing system is a pita and though I never feel rushed, DD doesn't seem to care for her and she doesn't really take the time to develop rapport w/ her either) about DD's ped, so we decided to try this new guy out. DD had her 2 year check up right after DS was born so we decided to keep her w/ her ped for the time being until we decide if we really like the new one better. I suspect DD would respond better to a really friendly/goofy kid doctor rather than an all-business, but nice older lady.

[ttt]

May 20, 2012 10:00:38 GMT -5 shadow said:

May 20, 2012 9:20:04 GMT -5 ttt said:

I find that strange too. I've never even been to a doctor's appointment myself, as an adult, where they didn't take my temperature. I thought that was pretty much standard practice for all medical appointments.

Why does he go to a different ped?

A friend of mine takes her son to the new ped and loved him and I'm not totally crazy (their billing system is a pita and though I never feel rushed, DD doesn't seem to care for her and she doesn't really take the time to develop rapport w/ her either) about DD's ped, so we decided to try this new guy out. DD had her 2 year check up right after DS was born so we decided to keep her w/ her ped for the time being until we decide if we really like the new one better. I suspect DD would respond better to a really friendly/goofy kid doctor rather than an all-business, but nice older lady.

Oh I see. I wasn't sure if maybe the other doctor was a specialist of some sort and that might explain the difference.

I always thought temp taking was standard practice, but apparently it's not. Huh.

[GailGoldie]

our pedi doesn't take a temp unless it's under question.... As a parent I know what my kid's temps are if they are sick- b/c i'm taking it at home long before i'm at the doc... if they are there for a sick visit they'll sometimes take it- but only after asking me when the last time it was that I took it (and what method- which is always rectal for my guys at their age- b/c it's most trustworthy).

If we're tehre for a well visit - no reason to take a temp unless someone thinks they feel warm or something... otherwise- why waste time?

[Deleted]

We go to a family practice, and they always take her temp. However, they use a forehead thermometer (they used one of those in the hospital with both of us, too), so it takes two seconds.

[shadow]

It's interesting to see that it's not standard across the board. DD's ped does it every time and every time she screams and cries and hates it, and it's just the under the arm method.

[statlerwaldorf]

Mine does. It's a quick swipe on the forehead.

[eddy]

I thought temp was a part of best practices for medical profs. I am shocked it is not. At our FP practice the nurse always takes it. It is a part of the data that is required for our electronic medical records.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

Count me among those who are side-eyeing the practices who don't do it. DS has had times when he's been perfectly normal one minute and sick as a dog the next. Plus, when the nurse uses the temporal thermometer it takes an addition...5 seconds? I mean, kids can get sick in the blink of an eye. I'd much rather my pedi catch it.
Let me clarify by saying that just because DS has a temp, it doesn't mean he immediately gets antibiotics or something. It just means that our pediatrician will invstigate further and it makes me happy. Otherwise, I feel like the office is just rushing through a well-child visit.

[Kristinmo]

Ours does not when we are there for a well check.

[eddy]

Also i can't tell you how many times they have caught a fever when i have not. They come on quick.

[pescalita]

I'm really not tsking my dr about this. How is it any different than the 360 other days/year that they don't have their temp taken? A hasn't had a fever yet, so I'm kind of talking out my ass, but isn't behavior more important than the temp if it's low grade?

Eh, I'm kind of lassez faire about infections anyways, kids are going to get bugs. This is the same family practice that told my mom to keep me home when I had chicken pox, cause there's nothing they could do about it. Okay, now I sound like an anti-vax nutter.

[AJL]

Our pedi only takes a temp if I called in and listed fever as a symptoms. It's not standard to take a temperature at every appointment in our practice.

[heightsyankee]

Mine always takes temp and weight.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

But part of a well-child visit is to get a full picture of your child as a whole! Wouldn't you think it weird if they didn't check the height and weight too? As far as I'm concerned, a well-child visit is supposed to get a complete picture of how my child is doing - height, weight, temp, check the ears, throat, nose, belly, genitals - all of it. I just don't see how you can truly say that a kid is doing just fine without getting a complete picture of how the child is doing.

[earlgreyhot]

I'm in pescalita's boat. A slight fever in a kid is not a big deal, IMHO. At least when they are otherwise fine. DS will get them from time to time and they generally pass within 24 hours. It's a sign their immune system is doing its job. If he became docile or abnormally cranky, that's different.

For a well baby, they are naked and the is touching them so they are able to access whether their temp is within normal range.

[laurenpetro]

Height and weight are long term indicators of health. Temp is not. The only thing a temp at a well visit would tell you is if your normal internal temp is higher or lower than the normal 98.6*.

I don't see this as a big deal. From what I understand your temp can fluctuate during the day. I don't find this issue side-eye worthy at all.

[pescalita]

May 21, 2012 8:16:47 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

Height and weight are long term indicators of health. Temp is not. The only thing a temp at a well visit would tell you is if your normal internal temp is higher or lower than the normal 98.6*.

This, or if they happen to have a fever that day. Temp actually tells you nothing about their overall health, just if they happen to currently be fighting an infection. Which, kids often are.

[heightsyankee]

I don't freak if my kid has a temp and agree that kids are almost always fighting something, but I still think taking a temp at a doctor visit should be pretty customary. I mean, it takes all of 2 seconds. Why not do it?

[meshaliuknits]

BabyLiu has only had her temp taken when we've brought her in b/c she was sick.

I don't regularly get my temp taken when I have a Dr visit. It never occurred to me that she should be. And, honestly, one less thing that makes her scream her fool head off while she's getting her check up is a-ok in my book.

[meg]

I dont think I get my temp taken every time I go to the dr, either. I kind of like that our pedi does not as a rule. I dont want to be overtreating my kid, kwim? Honestly it is super clear when H has a temp, I think more so than for adults even. He BURNS up! There have been times where I have expected a really high temp based on how his body feels and it is like 100. He spikes temps with teeth so we've had a lot of them.

So I dont really see the point. If he spikes a temp it is clear immediately by touch anyhow. And I would bet money that when the Dr is manhandling him that is something that is being observed. I much much much prefer a pedi who is using observations to assess a child and not just quantitative measures. When my son dropped percentiles at his 1 yr appt, I appreciated that there was no rush to DO something, no weight checks etc... because the dr was able to observe that he is thriving and looks sturdy and robust though his numbers may appear otherwise.

Also Im jealous of all the ppl where taking a temp is that easy... even the temporal one causes major squawking and gyrations. And actually that brings up another reason - when the kiddo is screaming and flailing his temp will be high from the crying, it wouldnt be an accurate reading (ran into that last time with a red ear from crying).

[Deleted]

Pudding's pedi hasn't taken his temp. As for the other two, their temps only get taken when I've brought them in sick. If it's a wellcare visit, no temp.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

Do you guys get your temps taken when you go to the doctor for yourself? Mine always does. Temp, bp, height, weight, pulse. Every time. Even if I'm in there needing like a refill on antidepressants or something.