2 3
Behind Ear Gentle Touch Thermometer
Instruction Manual
The Vicks
®
Behind Ear Gentle Touch Thermometer has been carefully
developed for accurate, safe and fast temperature measurements.
However, as with any thermometer, proper technique is critical
in obtaining accurate temperatures. Therefore, read the use
instructions carefully and thoroughly.
Warnings and Precautions
1. Do not use thermometer for 20 minutes on skin if exposed to hot
or cold temperatures such as direct sunlight, fireplace heat, cold
(compress), direct air conditioning air flow, swimming, bathing, etc.
2. Do not place the thermometer on scarred tissue or tissue
compromised by skin disorders.
3. Do not use on patients in trauma or patients treated with certain
drug therapies.
4. Do not take temperature from the side on which the patient was
laying — use the opposite side.
5. Do not expose the thermometer to temperature extremes
below -4°F (-20°C) or over 122°F (50°C) nor excessive humidity
(> 85% non-condensing relative humidity).
6. This thermometer should not be used to determine temperature below
95.9 °F (35.5 °C) or above 107.6 °F (42 °C).
7. Do not use this thermometer if the operating ambient temperature
range is below 50°F (10°C) or over 104°F (40°C).
8. Do not mount the battery with the positive sign facing down. The
thermometer will not work.
9. This thermometer is intended for household use only.
10. Use of this thermometer is not intended as a substitute for
consultation with your physician.
11. Readings from the right side of the patient’s head may differ from the
left - therefore it is preferable to take all temperatures on the same
side of the head.
12. Avoid subjecting the thermometer to strong shocks, such as dropping
the unit on the floor.
How does Vicks Behind Ear Gentle Touch Thermometer Work?
The
Vicks
Behind Ear Gentle Touch Thermometer is a hand-held, battery
powered device designed to measure human body temperature with a
special sensor that accurately and gently detects heat flow through the skin
directly behind the ear lobe using the heat conduction effect and prediction
techniques. The thermometer calculates heat flow through the skin and by
use of a mathematical algorithm estimates the internal body temperature.
The temperature reading range of the thermometer is from 95.9° F to 107.6° F
(35.5°C to 42°C) and the reading time is about 1 second.
Why Measure Behind the Ear?
The skin area behind the earlobe is over the posterior auricular artery which
is a branch of the carotid artery. The carotid artery carries blood to the brain
and therefore this site is the best external place to measure temperature.
Body Temperature
Normal body temperature is not a single number – it’s a range.
Many people incorrectly believe that 98.6°F (37°C) is the only normal
temperature. Yet, it’s just an average number. Each person has their
own normal range which fluctuates throughout the day. It is, therefore,
important to determine your normal temperature range. A person’s normal
(healthy) temperature range tends to decrease with age.
The following table shows that this normal range also varies by the
measurement site. Therefore, readings from different sites should not be
directly compared.
Normal temperature ranges by site:
Axillary
1
: 94.5 – 99.1 °F 34.7 – 37.3 °C
Oral
1
: 95.9 – 99.5 °F 35.5 – 37.5 °C
Rectal
1
: 97.9 – 100.4 °F 36.6 – 38.0 °C
Ear
2
: 96.4 – 100.4 °F 35.8 – 38.0 °C
Behind Ear: 95.0 – 99.7 °F 35.0 – 37.6 °C
Practice taking temperatures on yourself and family members to determine
their normal temperature ranges.
1. Chamberlain, J.M., Terndrup, T.E., New Light on Ear Thermometer Readings, Contemporary Pediatrics, March 1994.
2. Chamberlain, J.M., et al., Determination of Normal Ear Temperature with an Infrared Emission Detection
Thermometer, Annals of Emergency Medicine, January 1995.