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A reliable thermometer is an essential addition to any first aid kit, helping you to keep an eye on your temperature when you have the flu or other illnesses.
If you’re a parent, you may want to keep a thermometer handy so you can check up on your little ones when they have a fever, which can happen when they have chickenpox, tonsillitis, post-immunisation flu, and other common childhood illnesses.
There is a wide range of different thermometers available, making taking a temperature easier and more accurate than ever.
We stock forehead thermometers, in-ear thermometers, and even contactless thermometers, so you can find the perfect way to monitor a fever or high temperature.
The NHS recommends using a digital thermometer to measure a baby’s temperature.
You should place the thermometer inside your baby’s armpit, keeping their arm pressed to the side of their body for best results.
In older children, you can use an in-ear thermometer, which may be easier and more comfortable, especially if your child is taking a nap.
If your child has a high temperature, the result will read 38 degrees C or higher, and it will usually go back to normal in a few days.
Mercury thermometers are the device that many people still think of when they picture a traditional thermometer.
They’re made up of a glass tube with a line of mercury in the centre that moves up or down to show you your temperature.
Digital thermometers are a more recent invention, but they’re far more accurate and are much quicker to use.
We would always recommend using a digital thermometer over a mercury thermometer when taking someone’s temperature.
Mercury thermometers can be more likely to break, causing a risk of injury from glass splinters or exposure to mercury, which is highly poisonous.
If you have a high temperature or a fever you will measure in at 38 degrees C or higher.
This is the same for both adults and children.
