Rectal temps when you were a kid

My temperature was taken rectally until I was 6.

I can only remember one time, when my temperature was taken rectally. But I did often get suppositories as a little child, when I was ill.

Mmmh. I took my own rectal temperature starting at 5 or 6, so I don't recall getting it taken. But for sure, once I said I was sick, had a throat ache, stomach ache, head ache, or looked feverish, my mom would ask me to take my temperature.

And suppositories were quite common, and mom, for some reason, did insert them herself until I was 9 or 10. So to me children's illnesses often meant getting suppositories, which I found a bit humiliating.

Homes, Do you remember what kind of suppository?

My wife grew up in the US. It was not like described in the question, but it's true that if she complained about being "plugged up" then her mom would give her an enema... and her mom also sometimes gave her enemas for other reasons, like stomach ache. On the one hand, she did appreciate the release when constipated, on the other hand she remembers pulling a face when mom announced this treatment.

I think it were paracetamol suppositories but I don't know it.

Parents didnt take it more ofter than needed. I was kind of sickly as a kid with 3 hospital stays and various doctor office trips. It seems that all the temps were taken rectally even after Mom said that I could hold it in my mouth. After a doc said that it was not as accurate that way, then Mom started taking it rectally herself if I stayed home from school up to about 8th grade. Enemas from Mom were only given as needed and not all that often except at about 7-8 yo with what seemed like constant stomach cramps.

Yes, if there was any question of illness,or being out of sorts. And often times just to make sure,the vaseline and rectal thermometer were quickly retreived from the medicine cabinet and used without discretion. And usually if there was any medical issue were repeated at least every 4 hours for a few days. And the linen closet would also be heard opening with its creeky sound retrieving enema equipment to be used as needed.

I certainly did not get them all the time as a kid, but when I was not feeling well I knew the thermometer would come out and my temp would be checked regularly until I was well again.

Not that I can remember, got rectal temps till I was able to hold the thermometer in my mouth. Never got an enema as a kid.

I am like Feverboy. Between ages of 3 and 4 years of age and when I had fever, my mom took my temperature rectally until I learned arm pit and later oral temperatures. Just like I said under another topic; when I was 9 years old, I was trying to steady the thermometer under my tongue and my mom wanted to help and I would not let her, she told me if I did not do it right, she was going to take it rectally. I told her that rectal temperatures were for babies. She did not seem to care. I would have ran if she tried to do it.

Only when I was clearly, visibly sick, for the most part. Or if I was actively complaining to that effect, which was rare.

Never got a rectal temp that I remember but I did get pretty regular sitz baths and enemas.

Growing up, my sister and I had our temperatures taken rectally up to age 6 or 7. My mother never trusted us to hold the thermometer under the tongue for the required three minutes. She was very safety conscious, and worried about us "biting down " on the thermometer- in those days it was glass.

I recall visits to the doctors and his nurse always used the rectal thermometer to chart our temperatures. She was very "chatty " and I would often be on my stomach for a good ten minutes with the thermometer sticking out from between my cheeks, before she stopped taking to my mother and plucked it from my tingling rear.

Mom never gave enemas, but for constipation or bouts of tummy aches or gas, she would give a glycerine suppository and I can recall the "burn" of them to this day. They were very effective. She also used them before a road trip as she did not want us using a public restroom.

In those days, it was "I want to take your temperature " or "I am going to give you a suppository" and you cooperated with the procedure or it was done without your cooperation- no questions asked.

In my instance, it was not about the opportunity to do so, rather the belief that regular enemas were a part of a healthy life and upbringing. There were obviously families that had no interest in this, and others that relied on a more old-fashioned outlook on child rearing. I was from the latter group, as my mother regularly administered enemas to me and when a temperature was deemed necessary, I was put on her bed and she went to the linen/medicine closet to retrieve the jar of vaseline and thermometer. This was not as a punishment, but as her belief that it was what was best for me, and for us.

Yes I had my rectal temperature taken many times. If I came home early from school with a tummy ache I would always get suppositories and enemas.

Rectal temps, and enemas were s.o.p. At my home growing up, if we were sick and not in school, we could count on having rectal temps and enemas, we soon discovered what a good enema was.

I had a stepmother once who delighted in using rectal temps and enemas to humiliate us. What she didn't know was that I loved every minute of it.

I never had an enema before 20. I got rectal temperature followed by a suppository, if needed.

My parents never gave me an enema. I recall that when I was 16 and was suffering from what turned out to be IBS my doctor initially thought I should have a barium enema, which I was dreading, but in the end they just made me drink some huge cup of barium and then did x-ray imaging. I also have no recollection of ever being given a suppository. But my mother was a big believer in rectal temps. It's not that she only took my temperature that way. By the time I was 5 or 6, I think she wanted me to prepare me for having my temperature taken orally, so that if the nurse at school wanted to see if I had a fever, she could do it that way. And from around 7 on my mom would typically first take my oral temperature. But she often wanted to confirm the oral reading with a rectal reading. That went on until I was a little over 9 and a half and in fourth grade--nearly 39 years ago to the date. I didn't know at that point that I'd graduated from the rectal thermometer. There were moments in my tween years where I thought my mother was about to tell me she wanted to take my temperature in my tush. But that instance in late February of 1984 ended up being the last time I would lie prone on my bed or my parents' bed with my pants and underwear at half-mast, while my mother held the thermometer between her fingers and cupped my bottom to prevent it from slipping out.

Not at all. Mom used a hand on the forehead and left the rectal temp to the doctors most of the time unless there were specific instructions to monitor my temp. No enemas growing up for me.

When I was sick. I woud get them several times a day. Mom would give me baby aspirin but if that didn't help, I would a cleanout enema followed by cool water enemas. After an hour, I would get another RT followed by more cool water enemas if my temp wasn't coming down. If it was down, she would check it every hour.

We didn't get enemas very often, but our temps were taken rectally all the time.

Nope never 😔

Not at all. Mom used a hand on the forehead and left the rectal temp to the doctors most of the time unless there were specific instructions to monitor my temp. No enemas growing up for me.

@oldskoolotk Amazing how many mothers had their fingertips and/or lips calibrated to ISO standards for temperature taking!!! A simple kiss on on the forehead was all it took to get an accurate reading as to whether the kids had a fever or not!!

I don't recall of any mother planting that kiss rectally though, the forehead was accurate enough!!!!!

I got rectal temps galore, both at home and at the pediatrician’s until 18 years ago. I got my share of suppositories, but never an enema. My mom also did the forehead thing, usually right before taking my temperature, unless she thought I wasn’t running a fever.

Taken by my Mother when i was sick. In no way were her actions opportunistic. As a mother she took care of her children as needed.

I have no memory of RT or enema as a child of the 70s

Don't know if it was every opportunity but I received RT very often. It was etched in my mind that if I didn't feel well my parents would check my temperature. Reasons could be

- feeling ill, freezing, exhausted

- looking pale or having a red face

- having no appetite

When I was ill, my temperature was measured 3 till 4 times a day for as long as I was ill and a couple of days up to a week afterwards

My temperature was taken before going to the doctor, too. But there I received another measuring.

My parents have never given me an enema

The temperature in the rectum was measured until I was 2-3 years old - I don't remember it. Enemas were done to me relatively often - the cause was constipation. However, my mother treated enemas as a last resort.

She used laxatives, castor oil and suppositories. I tried not to use anything regularly so I wouldn't get used to it. If other remedies failed, my mother decided to give me an enema.