Why were rectal temperatures taken until 13?

I wish they were only taken until 13. I had to endure this through 18. Hospitals were the same. As bad as this was, the lack of privacy was worse. If you were in the hospital and had visitors, the nurse could come in making her rounds and announce that it was time to have my temperature taken. I would have to turn over in front of everyone and get it taken. In the doctor’s office doors were routinely left open, sometimes partially, and sometimes completely. People were always walking to and from exam rooms and would watch. Actually, I watched others myself as well.

Rectal temperatures stopped being taken on me at around 11 when I started complaining. When puberty hit not too long after, they became a fetish along with medical procedures mostly related to procedures involving pain or discomfort "back there".

All these stories bring back a memory. I was in 7th grade so that would have put me at 12 yo. A girl at school kicked me in the calf & it got infected. I was put in the hospital with an iv of antibiotics. It was a hospital I had spent a lot of time in. I think I was the oldest in the ward. The others were much younger. Everybody had to turn over on their tummy for rectal temps. Because of my leg and my IVs, I was rolled on my side with my rt lege pulled up for mine. Enemas were a norm in that ward and I rememberoyher kids being put in the knee chest position for them. Again, I was rolled in my side with Mt rt leg pulled up for mine. Due to my leg and the pain that gravity caused, I would be rolled back over on a bed pan. My plumbing prevents me from being able to poop on my back an enema and bed pan were the order 2-3x/week while I wad there. I still can't poop on a bedpan.

Anyway, my mom always took Mt temp in my mouth. I'm wondering if I had yo do that because all the younger kids had to do it that way.

We had our temperatures taken rectally at home, and at the Pediatrician, until we turned 13 and were then switched to oral temps. No reason was given. This happened in the 70s through 1980.

I think the most pediatrician back in the days didn't make any difference between a 2 and a 12 years old. They both considered helpless, unreliable child, who can't be trusted to hold a thermometer properly in their mouth for minutes. The pediatrician office was often crowded, tight scheduled, especially during winter with flu outbreaks in schools, so they didn't bother use different kind of thermometers regarding different aged kids. Rectal for everyone was simpler.

Other option, like in my case if you looked younger than your age, the doctor somehow taught you are still a little kid, even if you were a lot older. Not with rectal temp taking, but with suppositories, even if I could swallow pills, always prescripted suppositories.

... Other option, like in my case if you looked younger than your age, the doctor somehow taught you are still a little kid, even if you were a lot older. Not with rectal temp taking, but with suppositories, even if I could swallow pills, always prescripted suppositories.

So true. My puberty was massively delayed, as a 14yo I was 1.45 m tall and looked very childish. So until 16 I received RT even in hospital. I also recognised that they spoke to me particularly as if I was still a child, what felt bit annoying

I was born late 60’s .mom pretty much stopped around 6 unless I was vomiting or coughing so much I couldn’t keep a thermometer in my mouth. Our pediatrician office was about the same when it came to temperatures. They keep a couple thermometer’s on the counter. Nurse would let you know it was time to get your temperature. She would ask if you could hold the thermometer underneath your tongue for her. The last time I remember get a thermometer in my butt I had just turned 15 at the emergency room 1982 . I had a really bad stomach virus a lot of nausea vomiting and dry heaving . When I first got there they called us back to a room with cubicles separating patients to screen them in. After the nurse talked to my mother and I . She took me back to a room with curtains separating the exam beds pretty much open in the front. She said she need to get my temperature in my bottom she told me to remove my pants I could leave my underwear on and lay on my stomach . I did , she some what pulled the curtain across the front took a thermometer started shaking it down she the pulled my underwear down and slipped the thermometer in my butt . I remember her telling mom they had seen a lot of patients with this virus last couple weeks. I ended up getting a shot in my butt and a prescription for phenergan suppositories. The Doctor told mom that it would probably make its way throughout the house . My Sister was the next. One to get it then mom . I got one suppository later that evening. Pretty sure my sister and mom used the rest of them

In uk hospital took rectal temps on child wards as standard until age 12 but if cough or vomiting or sneezing take retally even if older as mercury in old thermometers to risky if broke in mouth.

I am guessing that every individual was transitioned off of a rectal temperature when their parents and doctor agreed it was time.

Who said they stopped at 13? I think its when it started for me..

At 13 or 14, the only time I got involved in RTs was as the taker, not the patient.

I got RTs until age 5. That's when I learned about oral temps. I was over at a girl's house, and she told me her dolly was sick. It was one of the ones where you "fed" the doll water, and it wet its diaper - pin-hole openings in mouth and crotch. She had a play-doctor kit, and was really surprised when I poked the thermometer in the doll's butt. Told me she always got it in her mouth. Also, some time around then, I saw a Dennis the Menace cartoon where he got an oral temp.

Fast forward to the next time I got sick. My mother got out the thermometer, told me to get over her lap. I yelled "NO!" and insisted on oral. Next time I got involved with RTs was when I was 13-14, and babysitting a toddler girl. Her parents took her temp rectally (since this was in France, lots of people got RTs). She felt hot, so I called the parents and they had me take her RT.

My pediatrician took my temp rectally until I was about 12, this was in the 80’s. I did have allergies that caused me to be stuffed up a lot and mostly breathing through my mouth when I went to the doctor for issues. I’m sure this lead to me having my temp taken rectally later in life than was probably the norm.