Discussion at the Dr about rectal or oral

Growing up in the 1960's glass mercury thermometers were the only type available. In our home it was a "rite of passage" when you were switched to the "oral " or grown-up thermometer. My mother was always concerned with someone biting the thermometer, and because of that, temperatures were taken rectally past the usual cut off age of 5 or 6. She also used the rectal thermometer whenever someone ran a high fever. I can recall when I was home sick with chicken pox with my younger sister. I was around 8 and she was 6, when mom came it and took her temperature first. I sat and waited while the thermometer was registering in her bottom. When it was my turn, I was told to "turn over and lay still" while the thermometer was put up my rectum for a long three minutes.

I was switched to the oral method, but my sister, who had the bad habit of holding the thermometer in her mouth with her teeth, had hers taken rectally until around age 10 or 11 because mom was always warning her not to "bite' the thermometer. I came home one day and she was home sick. She told me that mom had "put the thermometer in her rear end" while she lay on the couch in the living room.

My hospital nurses must have been very leery of using oral thermometers on children because on most occasions, mine was taken rectally even though I was 12 at the time.

Members, was this true in your case?

Back then in France it was commonplace to take rectal temperatures for both children and adults. The only "cutoff" was that if you were old enough you had to insert the thermometer yourself, under bed sheets. In such a position it's difficult to drop the thermometer to the ground and impossible to bite it.

Safety was however never listed by my mother when I asked her why not in the mouth like in the comics and cartoons. It was that "it was more accurate".

She was however very careful with the mercury thermometer. She bought another glass thermometer using another liquid when they were available. I think at some point the had broken a mercury thermometer and had had a very hard time chasing the small balls of mercury on the floor.

Both my brother and I had our temps taken at home rectally until we were around 7. No reason given....just the way it was done. The family doc we went to stopped taking my temp rectally around age six...about the time i stared getting shots in the deltoid instead of my bottom.

In my house there was always the same concern. My temperature was taken by rectum because of fear of biting down on the glass thermometer. I remember even when my mother took it rectally I was always told to hold still so it wouldn't break inside. Left a big impression on me.

Temperatures at home were always taken rectally until 11 or 12 years old. No specific reasons were given, it just the way it was. At 12 I was allowed to do it by myself and my parents enventually bought an oral thermometer. However I just kept doing rectally by myself, quite often pretending to be feverish so I could play with the thermometer up my anus.

The idea of using a rectal thermometer for safety reasons, made sense for infants, young children, and anyone not able to hold a thermometer under their tongue. Technology and healthcare attitudes have changed that. Thermometers are no longer made from glass and mercury. There is no hazard with digital technology, unless someone were to be stupid enough to stick the probe in the ear canal. Rectal temps. aren't recommended beyond 3 years. That in itself is a major change. The idea of accuracy is an entirely different subject, and one that has been debated forever. Personally, I don't see what difference it makes, if someone's temp. is 102.1, or 102.2. It's still a fever, and requires medication either way.

I don't think my mom ever really worried about the thermometer breaking. If she did, I didn't know it or couldn't hear her concerns. I am hard of hearing and have been since I was really little (I had baaaad and frequent ear infections). I do remember (vaguely) not to bite down. I also really don't have definite memories of having my temperature taken in my butt, but I know it was. I was sick all the time so maybe I was just used to it.

There has always a concern with a glass oral thermometer remain intact while placed in a youngster's mouth. For the most part, age has been a determining factor, with a youngster reaching the age of six years old being the right time to begin taking a youngster's temperature with a glass thermometer. However, these days with so many youngster's over the age of five years old having attention disorders, with the vast majority being boys, the age factor is irreverent.

Widespread use of various electronic thermometers have eliminated the use of the (mercury-fill) glass thermometer altogether. However, for anyone who might prefer to take the temperature of a youngster over the age of five years old, particularly a boy, should there be a concern about responsibly managing a glass oral thermometer in the mouth, taking the youngster's temperature orally with a glass oral thermometer should be abandoned.

My paediatrician put a rectal one into me until 4. I felt really shamed, but my parents agreed, it was routine. Bare bottom with something in it in front of doctor for minutes, took a year for me at that position, but now i think it was normal. My paediatrician prefered this route

When I was about nine or 10 I asked the nurse to switch to oral like we did at home. She was nice and checked my chart and I assume the chart said rectal. So she told me me that the doctor says rectal for me and that’s how we would do it. I remember rectal temps as laying on my stomach and my underwear at least to my knees. Depending on the room and which way you laid down... you could see the preparation of the thermometer with vaseline. Then you’d feel a thumb and a finger open your cheeks to slide the thermometer in deep.

It felt so good and I would instantly get an erection. She kept her hand on my bottom or lower back or a mixture of the two as I held still. Hoping my erection would go down before having to turn over. Then She would chat with my mom about vacations or anything. If I clenched she would tell me to hold still.

Then It was removed and I pulled up my own underwear.

The doctor came in and she asked him my question if I could switch to oral and he looked at me and said. It will be at least one more year in your bottom Will. For you, I want to keep it rectal.

That for you has always rung in my ears. Why me? Have others switched and I have to stay rectal. It seemed so unfair.

For me, I would not have cared but, I would whoever was in the room to face the wall so I can privately drop my pants to my knees and ask the nurse and whoever brought me to face the wall while I dress back up.

At home I was used to mommy passing the thermometer to me, then I had to roll on the side and insert it in my derrière under the bedsheets. However in cartoons and comics, people in hospital were shown with a thermometer in the mouth. When I was sent to hospital for appendicitis and the nurse came for the first time to hand me the thermometer, I thus hesitantly moved it towards my mouth. She tut-tutted and said "here at the hospital we don't take it in the mouth". I understood immediately and did as at home.

.Bowedmale,

Did thé doctor give any reason for imposing rectal ?

Svensson

My pediatrician actually lived down the street and saw me play as a kid. I’m guessing that it’s because I was active and fidgety. Just guessing though.

I do know that it Sounded like having to receive it rectally was unique to me and others were in oral. Hated it and made me feel like a boy or less than other bigger boys getting to have it orally.

I was always afraid to ask because I didnt want to draw more attention to the whole ordeal.

It could have had to do with your age, and the "for you" was referring to you being below the age they switched at. My doctor switched me at 13, so it was around that age for you.

Age 13 seems to be a magic number for kids in my area of the USA. I turned 13 in 1971 and the doctor's nurse started asking oral or rectal at age 13.

I grew up in rural South Dakota. Only one kids doctor in our town at the time so all the kids got the same treatment. RT till 13.

I think that most kids over the age of 5 or 6, probably wouldn't have needed to have their temp. taken rectally. I don't know what goes through a doctor, nurse, or a parent's mind, when determining why anyone up to age 10, 13, 16, or older would have to be humiliated, and embarrassed, all in the name of a fraction of a degree difference in body temp. in most cases, with maybe some exceptions. The classic case of rectal temps. for all patients in a pediatric ward, regardless of obvious age and maturity differences is just mind boggling. Someone may be old enough to drive, date, and hold down a job...but can't be trusted to have their temp. taken by mouth ? Fortunately, medical care has been transformed, at least in that regard.

I don't ever recall a discussion about what was to happen as much as a directive being given by the nurse or sometimes the doctor. "Lay back and turn over" wasn't an invitation by any means! There was no protest strong enough to postpone or escape having one's temperature taken. The only option for me involved "eyes open or closed" during the process. It didn't matter if I managed to spread my legs or not. The nurse skillfully parted my butt cheeks and didn't bother to ask if I was ready!