Learning about other methods

When and how did you learn that rectal measurements are not the only way to take one's temperature? And were you then wondering why the rectal method is used for you?

Rectal temperatures used on me when very young. Forget what age I ‘graduated’ to oral temperature. When I went to the ER a number of years ago for possible appendicitis, the doc surprised me taking a rectal temperature. said it was more accurate for diagnosis.

Before hospitals had modern imaging equipment such as ultrasound, MRI, etc., they would compare the oral and rectal temps and if the rectal temp was unusually high, it often indicated appendicitis.

When I went to boarding school and they took my temperature orally.

I was probably around 3 years old, when I saw my parents using the oral thermometer on themselves, and my older sister, and I kind of thought that seems strange, that I don't get my temperature taken that way too. When it was explained to me, I realized that I needed to grow out of rectal temps., in order to “graduate.” Sort of like, going from riding a bicycle, to driving a car….at least that's how I saw it then.

I believe I learned from Sesame Street. They had a skit where a young kid goes to the doctor, and they told him to hold the thermometer under his tongue. I can remember being very upset and telling my mom that's not how they take my temperature! I don't really remember what was said or how it was explained, I was 4 or 5 at the time. I was a bit miffed that other kids got their temps taken in their mouths.

Don’t remember ever having my temperature taken rectally. Always was taken orally. Have always enjoyed experimenting by inserting various objects into my rectum and stimulating my prostate into orgasm!

It was in school, I got sick and the school nurse was going to do an oral temp but I got sick to my stomach so she decided to do rectal. I kind of knew about oral temps but never had them at home or at my doctor's. It was a small town so all the kids used the same doctor and he did rectal till age 13, so all kids had rectal till then or even older. This was the 1960's so I think most kids just thought you got RT and oral was for adults. I knew a number of kids that had RT too well into their teen years.

When I was at the clinic as an older child, and the nurse put the thermometer in my mouth for the first time, was when I figured out there was another way!

I remember asking my mom why they put a thermometer in my butt; she embarrassingly told me it was so I didn’t bite and break the thermometer, which I thought was dumb.