Feeling too old for rectal temperature taking by mom

How old were you, when you started to feel embarassed, humiliated annoyed or anything like that about rectal temperature taking? When was the first time you tried to resist, or convince your mom about other methods like oral/axillary?

I mean, strictly speaking about home temp taking with your mother, not at the doctor.

Even if you did not fuss about, just obidiently submitted to it, laying on the bed, what was the point when you started to say that "Mom, I am way to old for doing this way" or maybe also saying that "Why I have to lay down on my tummy? I can hold a thermometer in my mouth!"

Or thinking while the thermometer is in your bottom: "My friends must be on oral temp, why would my mom want me to take rectal like I was 3 or something?"

So I am basically curious about your age when these thoughts appeared in your mind, and what were your thoughts exactly?

I never had those thoughts I never minded rectal temperatures. In fact, I was quite disappointed when the doctors nurse asked me if I wanted oral. so I told her no rectal is fine.🌡️🧴🧻

I have no recollection of that. I don't know what age I was when mom moved from sticking the thermometer in there herself to asking me to stick it into the same place.

Once as a youngster when sick I was given the option by my mom. Oral or Rectal?

Never bothered me so I said rectal and stayed with it until about 11 or 12 and never got sick enough to necessitate it in my teen years and my mother had long stopped Rectal temperatures.

As I got into my twenties I decided I would stay with it after a visit to a clinic where I again years later I was given the choice as a “ joke”. I told the nurse “ You can take it rectally if you want” She said she was joking. I told her I was being honest and if she did want to take it that way, it was not an issue for me. She took it rectally, then after the temperature taking said …” Most adults don’t care for a rectal temperature though at times it is necessary but is the best way, anyhow!” Been with it ever since. A long time.

For me it was relatively early, just before turning 4. I remember the age because of where we were living at the time. My mom wanted to check my RT and she took me into the bedroom. We had family visiting at the time and I was worried that someone might walk into the bedroom and see me even though the door was closed. When she told me to lay down on my tummy I refused and I told her why. She assured me that no one would come in, but I was not convinced. I remember thinking to myself that my refusal would not work, but my mom decided to try oral and I had no difficulty holding the thermometer under my tongue. From that day onward I never had my temp taken rectally again....not at home or by a doctor/nurse. This was in the mid-50's, so not every kid in the 50's had RTs throughout their childhood.

I think I was about 9 when I began feeling like I was getting too old for rectal, but I still turned over obediently. One day, my mom accidentally broke the rectal thermometer while shaking it down. Since she had an oral thermometer in her bathroom for my parents, I assumed she would at least let me attempt to use an oral one, but instead she went out to the pharmacy, and bought a new rectal thermometer, as well as a spare one, which pretty much answered that question. Within a few minutes of her getting back home, I was once again on my tummy with a thermometer sticking out of my tush.

I never minded rectal temps and never had those thoughts my mom and doctor switched me at age 10

No i never really felt to old, it was just how my temperature was taken, made me feel taken care of and like a little boy She had both an upstairs and downstairs thermometer. She would usually have me undress and lay on my tummy on her bed. I loved watching her shake her thermometer down, I knew it was going to happen. Quite often after having my temp taken she would lead me to her bathroom by the hand. I knew what that meant

So from infancy on it was always taken rectal….it’s really all I knew even though I remember crying over it. It was not exactly my favorite thing to have done but none the less whether I liked it or not; that’s how it was done!

I had it oral a few times but not many!

I’m in my 40’s now and I still take it rectal and prefer it and ONLY RECTAL! Although the thermometer feels good in my bottom; it’s not sexual to me!

Now my twin sister on the other hand would protest and have a fit! She stopped getting rectal temperatures at home by age 9 or 10 and where probably stopped about the same time @ the dr! I still didn’t care for the rectal route at the doctor or at home but I really didn’t have a choice as I was a mouth breather and asthmatic so keeping my mouth closed long enough was next to impossible getting an accurate reading!

Mine was never taken at home; that’s what the clinic was for.

I recall being mystified by the strange procedure as a younger toddler over my mother’s lap. Soloing up on the exam table around age four for the first time was when the embarrassment really kicked in. Witnessing my little sister taking a rectal thermometer during a shared appointment is the day I put everything together in my head about what was actually happening to me.

At age four I asked my mother why they did it that way, and she told me it was because they thought I might bite the thermometer, and that I needed to comply without question nor complaint. I clearly remember wondering why anyone would want to bite on a piece of glass?!?

By age four I knew I was too old for a rectal thermometer. I still had almost two more years of it left to go at that point.

The older I got, the harder it was for me to accept, but accept it I did.

Was never given options all ways rectal at home and clinic and hospital

Was never given options all ways rectal at home and clinic and hospital

My own experience of RT-related embarrassment was a bit different. Like a few of the other posters here, I never actually minded having my temperature taken rectally as a child. On the contrary, it provided some intimate time with my (otherwise usually harried) mother. I thus resisted switching to oral temps and was disappointed that Mom insisted that I make the transition when I was about 6 years old.

After that, I spent several years hoping that she would find an excuse to have to take it rectally. At the same time, knowing that RTs were considered the “baby” way, I felt shame for craving it so much and was too embarrassed to ask directly to have it taken like that. As a result, I tried to find ways to “sabotage” my oral readings, for example by secretly drinking cold water first and not keeping the thermometer under my tongue. Unfortunately, none of them ever worked.

The one and only time after my transition to oral that Mom did take my temperature rectally, it was because she had lost or broken the glass oral thermometer and needed to get a reading before calling the doctor. I was 11 or 12 at the time. As a preteen, I was acutely aware that I was too old for the rectal thermometer and thus felt like I had to make a show of displeasure to pretend I was upset. But I was secretly thrilled and so obediently followed her instructions to turn over onto my stomach for the procedure. My embarrassment spiked, however, when my little sister came into my room while the thermometer was registering. She was old enough to understand that rectal temperatures were for babies and had probably even transitioned herself to oral by that point. She was smirking the whole time. The acute embarrassment of those 5 minutes contributed to a lifelong obsession for me.

I remember being seven or eight years old and not feeling well. I should probably go to the pediatrician. My father insisted on taking my temperature in my bottom. So I had to lie on my stomach. He pulled down my pants and shoved the thermometer up my butt. Then he went into the kitchen. Although I was fascinated by taking temperatures, I couldn't wait and after a (probably too short) time I took out the thermometer and showed it to my father. He was not amused, shoved it back up my butt and went into the kitchen. This probably happened two or three times. My dad got angrier and angrier, walked me back to the sofa, shook the thermometer down and shoved it up my butt, deeper this time. That stung. Then he sat down next to it, held the thermometer very tightly and stroked my bottom. I must have thought that I was a little boy and had to be good. Although I felt too old for rectal temperature at that moment, I also felt comfortable and cared for. Very strange.

@GerHarren, to be as specific and comprehensive in answering your OP queries as possible:

How old were you, when you started to feel embarrassed, humiliated annoyed or anything like that about rectal temperature taking?

Answer: Never to this day ever had any of those 3+ feelings about RT’s, now age 71+ (72 next month).

When was the first time you tried to resist, or convince your mom about other methods like oral/axillary?

Never, not once.

I mean, strictly speaking about home temp taking with your mother, not at the doctor.

Good point, noted. Mine nearly all at home by RN mom. Rarely at doctor visits.

Even if you did not fuss about, just obediently submitted to it, laying on the bed, what was the point when you started to say that "Mom, I am way to old for doing this way" or maybe also saying that "Why I have to lay down on my tummy? I can hold a thermometer in my mouth!"

Never started. I cannot imagine any reason I would think that.

Or thinking while the thermometer is in your bottom: "My friends must be on oral temp, why would my mom want me to take rectal like I was 3 or something?"

Never ever had that thought.

So I am basically curious about your age when these thoughts appeared in your mind, and what were your thoughts exactly?

Never appeared in my mind ever. My only thoughts were “I kind of like the feeling of that Vaseline®️-lubricated glass thermometer mom puts in my butt, mom is an RN Nurse and a great mom, she thinks I might be sick and this must be the best way to do this.”

Occasionally she would use a glass oral thermometer instead of RT, but preferred the more likely accurate rectal route. Either was fine with me, but orally I had to keep my mouth closed around the thermometer so it was actually easier for me rectally.

@GerHarren your OP queries suggest you really didn’t like RT’s or thought they were embarrassing or annoying. What was your experience?

Eric