Swine Flu, and Using a Thermometer
Swine Flu, and Using a Thermometer
It is absolutely vital under normal circumstances to have a working thermometer at home, but when there is a Swine Flu problem about, it is especially important.
Having a working thermometer means that you can check for one of the most noticeable symptoms of Swine Flu, namely a raised temperature. If the temperature of the patient is over thirty eight degrees centigrade, this is officially cause for concern, and this means that you would then start looking for other symptoms to ensure that Swine Flu is not the problem.
If you are taking the temperature of a child, stay with them while the reading is being taken. Many young children respond well to in-the-ear thermometers, and these are thermometers that need you to be present anyway. However, it is vital that you stay with any child who is having their temperature monitored.
Always ensure that the thermometer is clean, and that you are fully aware of the instructions before you start taking someone’s temperature. It is absolutely vital that you know how to take a successful reading, due to the fact that Swine Flu can be diagnosed by temperature readings. If your reading is inaccurate, it could compromise the diagnosis, and place people in danger. If you do record a raised temperature, it is important that you do not jump the gun and start to check for other symptoms. Give it twenty minutes, then go back and take another reading. This way you can check that the temperature is consistent.
When choosing your thermometer at your local pharmacy, always ask for help form the pharmacist. Once they know the background of your family and the make-up of the family unit, they will be able to advise on the best thermometers to buy.
Mercury thermometers are still available, but they are gradually being withdrawn from the market. You are strongly advised not to purchase one of these if it can be avoided. This is because mercury thermometers can cause damage to the skin if the seal is broken. Adults should use them if they have to be used, not children. This is because children can bite on thermometers if they are orally administered, and biting into a mercury thermometer can be highly dangerous.
Digital thermometers are much safer, and can be used orally, or to take a temperature reading form a person’s armpit. You should remember that taking a reading from an armpit can be slightly complicated, due to the fact that a reading from this location can be 0.5 degrees lower than the bodies’ actual temperature. You should add on the shortfall to get a true reading.
It is very hard to exaggerate the need to have a good working thermometer in the home. As Swine Flu becomes more prevalent, having recourse to a good thermometer, with which you can monitor your families’ temperature accurately and safely, can be the difference between early identification of the problem, and valuable treatment days being missed. Invest in one today, and reap the benefits of a good thermometer.