Do digital (stick) oral thermometers work? What's the alternative?

100 degrees F is a fever. It could very easily have been reading accurately and his fever spiked up to 102 in the hospital.

I have a good old fashioned alcohol, not mercury one that works well. I used to have an electric one, but the batteries were always running down when I really needed it. I had to ask my pharmacy to bring them in for me as most people want fancy ones.

I generally am very good at recognizing a fever without a thermometer, except in myself. Last summer I was feeling poorly, so much so that I was given a covid test. I was not coughing, but I had a low grade fever (I had not felt warm and had not taken my temp).

We were asked, by our Township, to hand in all mercury thermometers. They gave us a digital one to replace them. Have you checked the battery?

I can tell when someone is running a fever. Eyes are glassy and they are hot to the touch. Thats when I get out the thermometer. You can place them in the armpit. And like Zippy said, rectal is the most accurate.

Tried and true rectal thermometer is always an option.

Bumholes don't lie.

I still have a mercury thermometer. We bought one of those forehead scanning ones, too, but no one's been sick yet, so I haven't been able to determine how well it works.

This is the one we bought. It has very good reviews --

https://smile.amazon.com/iHealth-Thermometer-Vibration-Notification-Thermopile/dp/B075QQ8VZW/ref=sr_1_10?crid=39S9GRYFFVEVL&dchild=1&keywords=forehead+thermometer+for+adults&qid=1612922271&sprefix=forehead+%2Caps%2C286&sr=8-10