Checking a sleeping toddler's temperature has got to be one of the worst, most stressful parenting tasks. It just goes against the laws of nature to wake up a feverish little one, right? Um, no thank you. That’s why every parent should know where to buy fever stickers, because they are seriously the best freaking inventions.
No matter what kind of thermometer I've tried, they never seem to work properly. Plus, it's just a little bit difficult to explain to a 1-year-old that this stick needs to stay in your mouth, under your tongue, OK? And don't even get me started on other methods of monitoring temperatures. Ugh.
I can't believe I'd never heard of fever stickers until just recently. Why have all the other parents been keeping this secret from me?! It's a sinister and evil conspiracy.
Those of us who have been in the dark about these magic stickers can thank Lisa Ling, the host of CNN's This Is Life, for bringing them to the world's attention. The journalist recently posted on her Facebook and Instagram about using Physio Logic's Fever-Bugs Stick-On Fever Indicators when her daughter got sick on a recent trip. Ling wrote that she's now "obsessed."
Me too, Lisa. Me too.
(Also just a side note: How angelic and adorable is this little girl? I can't.)
Of course, Fever-Bugs aren't the only stickers like this on the market. A quick search on Amazon.com brings up Fever-Fish Children's Fever Monitor Strips ($5.99 for a pack of 12 strips). One reviewer writes, "Gets the job done without a lot of tears."
Sold.
And these Hassle-Free Forehead Thermometer Strips ($8.99 for two reusable strips) aren't quite as cute, but still would get the job done
According to the Fever-Bugz website, their hypoallergenic, latex-free stickers can monitor your child's temperature for up to 48 hours, and they're accurate within one degree Farenheit. All you have to do is place the sticker on your kid's body—the forehead is recommended, but between the shoulder blades, under the armpit, or on the chest will also work—et voila, within seconds, the fever indicators will light up. You'll get a read out of N (for normal), or 99, 101, 103, or 105. So incredibly handy.
They can even be worn in the bath.
I know.
Really want to try the same ones that Lisa Ling loved? OK, don't panic, but as of this posting, all online outlets seem to be sold out. Normally you can buy Fever-Bugz fever stickers on Amazon, where they're only $6.50 for an 8-pack. Walmart.com also has fever stickers listed at $7.65 for an 8-pack, but they're also sold out.
We've reached out to Physio Logic, the makers of Fever-Bugz, to find out when we can expect them back in stock, but in the meantime, the good news is that there are a lot of this brand of fever stickers for sale on eBay.com.
Of course, the Fever-Bugz site is careful to note that these fever stickers should not replace a visit to the doctor. They also state that you should always use a thermometer to confirm temperature readings, "particularly if you see any unusual readings."
Nothing can take the place of a professional, but these stickers can really help with your peace of mind, especially when it comes to a cardinal rule of parenting: Let sleeping toddlers sleep!
