--RE: Thermometers

[Guest guest]

Are you my twin? Of course, you'd have to be the good twin, since I am the

evil twin <grin>.of course I am only evil when dealing with billing and

insurance morons. When and ph were getting fevers all the time

(pre-IVIG) I would take their temps with about 4 different thermometers

before calling the doctor. Seriously. One time I brought them all 4 with

me to the ER & we got there and they stuck the durn thermometer in 's

mouth, the temp they got was 100. something and he clearly was burning up.

I showed the nurses in triage my thermometers and they just shrugged. I had

brought them because the last ER trip the nurse told me MY thermometer must

be broken. When I told her I'd gotten the same reading on 4.she just

shrugged. ANYWAY-we get back on this particular " take your 4 thermometers

to ER day " and the doctor examines and says, " WOAH, he's burning up!

Get a thermometer! It says here is temp is only 100.something [i forget the

number-but it was 100.--] " I showed him all of my thermometers and he took

the reading with one and got what I had on all 4 of mine (they were all

REALLY close). Clearly the triage thermometer had issues. My kids think I

am whacked b/c when one thermometer says they have a fever, I check it with

another. Just in case..

Can you tell me more about this ear device you mention below..where can you

purchase it, etc? I ask because that is what I NEED. I MUST have it--

LOL. ph got some nasty cold that we all had (note: Me, dad and M got

over it in 2-3 days, took about 5, but ph took over 14) I brought

him to the ped and she told me if his cough wasn't better by day X to start

him on the abx b/c his nose and sinuses were swollen. Day X came and his

cough was better. <enter Cleopatra Queen of Denial> so I did not start him

on abx. But his cough was pretty much gone-still stuffy but cough gone.

Thursday he has a bit of a cough-but I thought it could be allergies with

everything that is blooming. SO by LAST Monday he started coughing more and

I was wondering if it was extra allergies kicking in. He is still coughing

and started Sunday saying his ears hurt a little. When I kiss him near his

ear he says it hurts inside-one side worse than the other. I'd love to know

if he had fluid in his ears. I have an appointment to bring him in

tomorrow morning. I want him to be able to fight things! Ugh... try not to

give up hope.

Peace Be With You,

Pattie

Don't let your past dictate who you are now, but let it be a part of who you

will become.

_____

You bright, wonderful ladies are all by now wondering if there's an ear

issue

(wacky reading on ear thermometer), but we also have an " Ear Check " device

which determines whether there is fluid behind the ear drum ($50 and well

worth

it), and both girls come up normal.

_____

[Guest guest]

Pattie:

I got the " Ear Check " on Drugstore.com, it's cheaper there ($49.95) than

anywhere else I've seen it. There are several consumer reviews on it there, all

but 2 of them loved it and had great results. 2 couldn't use it properly or got

confusing results.

Since it wasn't 100% perfectly reviewed, I was skeptical, but I figured if it

saved me 2 trips to the ped, it paid for itself. Turns out it's saved me many

more trips than that. I have terrible trouble trusting my eyes with an

otoscope -- I have focusing issues, the light never seems bright enough, her

ears

always look a little crummy even when there's no infection. and I have the

same ENT and he's a little crass (which I sort of enjoy) and he looked in

's ears and looked in mine and when it was just him and me ( could not

hear) he said gruffly, " She has the same crappy ears you do. "

So far, we've had pretty much total success with it. A week or two ago

was complaining one ear hurt. Ped had seen fluid in both ears the week prior

when she was dx'd with flu, so that made sense, I figured she had an infection

for sure. Ear Check said no fluid. I didn't believe it, and it cost me a $25

co-pay, because her ears were clear! She and I both get periodic dysfunctional

eustacian tube syndrome, when there's pressure in the tube (and pain) but no

fluid anywhere. I've overcome mine by " clearing " my ears a couple times a day

-- ENT said to do that for the rest of my life. They don't tell kids to do it

though -- maybe it's not safe for them to do it.

So I guess I'm saying Buy The Thing, it works. Our ped office uses a slightly

more sophisticated version (it downloads the measurement and they print it

out), but by the same company -- that's where I got the idea. When I looked it

up I figured it would be a billion dollars so when it was only $50 I was so

pleased!

(mom to , age 7, dairy intolerant-related GERD -- currently has

polysaccharide antibody def, previously had transient IgG, IgA, t-cell & other

defs... and also to Kate, age 3!, more dairy intolerant but very healthy!)