Riley absolutely HATES me taking her temperature. Currently, we have one of those ear thermometers, which requires sticking a probe down into her ear canal. She constantly squirms and cries and it is next to impossible to get an accurate reading. I can understand though. If you're sick and don't feel well, the last thing you want is someone holding you down trying to pry some weird device into your ear!

I've always envied the neat little handheld forehead scanner my pediatrician uses. All she does is swipe this device across Riley's forehead and presto...an accurate, tear-free temperature! I always thought this type of thermometer was very expensive and beyond my family's means. So, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review the Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer and I learned that these thermometers don't cost anything near what I thought!

Exergen Corporation is the recognized world leader in industrial and medical non-invasive temperature technology. From providing temperature sensors for NASA and various industries to creating one of the world’s most popular baby gifts, Exergen creates non-invasive temperature measurement devices providing lower cost, higher accuracy, less invasiveness, and greater reliability than ever previously possible.

The creator of the first temporal artery thermometer—the TemporalScanner, the most efficacious, non-invasive thermometer ever created. Exergen holds over 100 U.S. and foreign patents, and is the only manufacturer of retail medical thermometers in the U.S. Presently, 30% of hospitals and pediatricians currently use the Exergen TemporalScanner, and well over 1 million consumers use one at home.

The Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer has many advantages over using another type of thermometer, such as an ear thermometer or one that can be placed in the mouth (or God forbid, the rectum). First, it is completely non-invasive and causes no discomfort whatsoever. Next, it measures the temperature of the blood in your temporal artery accurately and is considered more accurate than an ear thermometer and just as accurate as a rectal thermometer reading.

You also don't need to buy any probe covers or other disposable parts. Simply clean the probe lens and cone with a swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. The Exergen TemporalScanner thermometer can be used on all members of your household and can get an accurate reading from even a sleeping child or baby. Changes in body temperature will be noticed more quickly by measuring the blood in the temporal artery over any other method, including rectally.

There can be a 60-90 minute lag time in infants and up to several hours of lag time on adults using the rectal temperature method. The TemporalScanner Thermometer will identify the temperature change much sooner than a rectal thermometer and so is more accurate to changing body temperatures.

When Riley was teething and running a low-grade fever, I would try to wrestle her down so that I could take her temperature with our ear thermometer.  Of course, she hated that and would get all upset. When I received the Exergen TemporalScanner, I immediately tried it on myself to make sure I was using it properly. It is so very easy to use!

Simply place the probe flat on the center of your forehead, press and hold the scan button while you sweep the probe across your forehead and into your hairline. As soon as you've reached the hairline, you can depress the scan button and read your temperature. That's it! Now it was time to see whether Riley would object to our new thermometer.

I held it to her forehead and swept it across until I reached her hairline. She never moved and stayed still while I did it, just like at our pediatrician's office. I took her temperature effortlessly, accurately and painlessly! What a product! :)

I think this is a must-have item in every household! There are so many benefits to using the Exergen TemporalScanner without one drawback that I can think of. Especially now that the price has been lowered so dramatically, you just can't afford to measure your family's temperature the inconvenient and inaccurate way any longer. I know that I will never go back to the old ear or mouth thermometers again!