A very accurate thermometer (Calpol Digital Ear Thermometer)

Member Name: paulpry118

Product:	Calpol Digital Ear Thermometer
Date:	18/03/08 (311 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use and very accurate

Disadvantages: None

Firstly, my reason for buying this product.

Very recently, my two year old daughter had a temperature, so we took her to the doctors where they took her temperature with a thermometer that went her in ear. The doctor said if we ever got the chance to buy one we should and that Calpol made them. Later that night my daughter seemed to get worse and started panting like a dog. We telephoned NHS direct who said we should strip her down to a vest and nappy and give her some paracetomol, about two minutes after that there was a gurgling noise, my daughter went limp, eyes glazed over and stopped breathing. Every parents worst nightmare. After we put her on her side she threw up and started breathing again. Thank god. She was then rushed to the local hospital where we were told she had had a siezure due to having a very high temperature. She was kept in over night. After being discharged, my husband stayed with her and I shot off to Boots to buy the Calpol Digital Ear Thermometer.

We then kept a check on her temperature throughout the rest the day. It shot back up to over 40 degrees so we took her back into hospital, where the nurses said it was a good job we had taken her back, if her temperature had gone up much more she would again be in danger of having another seizure. She now seems to be recovering well, running about and causing havoc, never again will I tell her to sit down a be quite.

Now The Product

The thermometer is manufactured by Microlife, Switzerland for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare in Surrey, Calpol is a registered trademark of Pfizer.

The thermometer is 15 cm long with a circumference of about 2.5 cm tapering down to the probe which is about 5mm. It is made from plastic with purple soft rubbery sides. It has an on/off button, start button and a digital window that lights up for night time use. It comes in a purple plastic case and holds the thermometer and probe covers (20 probe covers are supplied with the thermometer at time of purchase). The probe covers are about the size of a pound coin, made of cardboard with a hole in the centre, around the hole are slits and the whole thing is covered with a strong clingfilm like material. The instruction booklet is hidden in a slide out shelf underneath the box. It is however very difficult to read the instuction booklet because it has a piece of plastic on the top with a metal bar running down the middle of the booklet.

The thermometer can be used for babies, children or adults and be set to work in celsius or fahrenheit. It has a fever alert sound and gives an accurate temperature reading in one second. It has a memory of the last 12 readings that you have taken.

How to use the Thermometer.

It is very easy to use. Pull out one of the probe covers and place it on the hole that is in the box. Push the thermometer into the probe cover so the clingfilm stretches over the probe (it reminds me of a condom). Switch the thermometer on, you get one bleep to confirm that the machine is working proberly it then gives you the last reading taken. Place the probe end gently into ear and press the start button. One second after that you get either one double bleep which means the temperature is fine or ten double bleeps which means the temperature is above normal. The measurement shows in the digital illuminated window. It is a good idea to take a reading in both ears as you can sometimes find that you get a different reading in each ear. You then take the highest reading. Obviously you don't get a core temperature as that is only available by an anal reading. When you have finished remove the probe cover and discard.

The thermometer is very accurate, we took ours into the hospital and did a reading at the same time that they took one and this thermometer gave exactly the same reading as the hospital.

Costs.

The unit costs £29.99 from Mothercare and Boots with a box of 40 probe covers costing £4.99. You may think this is expensive, but how much would you value a childs life. Unfortunately I can't find anywhere in the booklet where it states what guarantee it has, so I presume it has a one year guarantee.

In my opinion.

This is a must have piece of kit for any parent. It is much better than trying to put a thermometer under the arm, more accurate and much safer than placing a thermometer in the mouth.

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Summary: A must have peice of kit for any parent.