Stethoscope - Q&A thread

I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of what a decent stethoscope actually costs these days. If there's anyone here who really knows their stuff regarding the different models and brands, I would be incredibly grateful for some guidance...

You've got options ranging from $50 all the way up to $667. It really just comes down to what you're looking for.

Does anyone know where I can pick up some $50? I’m trying to be a super mom and I want to buy a stethoscope—an actual, real one—as a toy for my little girl. Since there isn't really any kid-focused education here in my city about visiting the doctor, I thought if she had her own, I could show her exactly what the doctor does during an exam and let her listen to her own heartbeat. Honestly, I just can't stand wasting money on those cheap plastic sets that cost maybe $50-$33 and snap within a week. Also, if anyone here (maybe a doctor among us🙂 😍) happens to have an old but working one, or if you're buying a new one and don't know what to do with your old gear, PLEASE reach out to me!

Why am I being so extra? ---- So, about four months ago, I'm sitting in a waiting room with my little girl, and this small boy is running around the hallway. His mom is trying to calm him down by saying (👎 👎 👎 👎 ) "Here comes the doctor with the needle, sit down fast! Here comes the doctor with the needle, you better behave or he'll poke you."
Five minutes later, it's that boy's turn and the doctor starts getting ready to give him the shot. The little guy didn't just scream like he was being tortured, he actually kicked the entire medicine cabinet and knocked over the doctor's desk—and he's only five! Then the mom walks out and starts yelling at him, which is just... wow, how embarrassing. I seriously wanted to throw her on the floor and kick her for being so ridiculous. First, you scare the child like that, and then you get mad when they react that way. My Melanie isn't afraid of doctors (and why should she be?), but, I don't care, I just really want to give her a stethoscope, a real one! Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm a bit much, but if anyone has a spare stethoscope, please, please send me a PM. Thanks!

Perhaps a conversation or other conventional methods might prove more helpful, but if you are set on getting a stethoscope, maybe a classic Riester... $83 or something along those lines

Sam Hall15 said:so maybe talking it out or trying other more standard ways might help, but if you really want a stethoscope, maybe a classic Riester one $83 or something like that

So, the other day we went to SES for nose and throat swabs, and the kid right before my Melanie was literally screaming while she was doing his swab. Then it was Melanie's turn, and the lady didn't even acknowledge her—it was like she wasn't even in the room! She just automatically assumed that because she’s a child, she was going to scream too, and told me I should just "hold her tight and control her." Melanie totally felt that vibe (it wasn't just a whim, I swear) and just burst into tears. I asked the doctor to explain what she was doing and why, but she just kept staring at me and only addressing me. Since the last time she did a swab without any issues, I think it's pretty obvious who the real problem was in this situation?
👎 👎
Unbelievable. I work so hard to teach Melanie that going to the doctor is a positive and necessary thing, and then this lady just completely kills the mood. As soon as we walked out of SES, I told her that the doctor was probably just frustrated with that previous boy, which is why she acted that way toward her, but that it wasn't okay and that Mommy won't be taking her to that mean doctor anymore—we'll find a different one who's actually nice.
I mean, seriously, imagine if you treated every single patient like they were someone you couldn't stand and were just constantly annoyed by? That's so unfair!!!!!!👎 👎 👎 👎 👎 👎 👎

Alright, time to be a little bit wicked:
this is exactly why microbiologists deal with bacteria instead of actual people. 😉

Honestly, I find myself chatting up infants while I’m examining them just to get through it.

Maybe the moderator could change the title...

The real issue here is why kids are terrified of doctors. It boils down to two things. First, pediatricians often lack the time or the drive to actually engage with kids and help them relax, so the kids just end up scared.
Second: parents constantly use "you're going to get a shot" as some kind of threat for when they aren't being "good." So then these kids view routine vaccinations as this ultimate betrayal. Poor kid knows everything was fine, but then they still get poked. 😢

I remember back when I was a student, there was this one—literally the only one—pediatrics professor who was actually "friends" with the kids. Everyone talked about him like he was crazy, but in a sweet way. He’d talk to infants just a few months old like they actually understood him. And guess what happened? The baby feels the chill vibe, stays calm listening to his steady voice, wants to play... even with a stranger in a white coat.

I remember during my rotation in pediatrics, all the nurses, doctors, and moms would just stare at me in shock because I’d act like a total goofball just to bond with the kids. And—lo and behold—it worked. I managed to win over (almost) every single kid, and it didn't even take much extra time.

Honestly, letting a kid hold a stetoskop 3 m Littmann Classic ii S. E. Black edition for a second to play around, or letting them listen to their mom or big sister through it... it makes them settle down immediately. 🙂

Nowadays, when I'm checking kids, I start by talking to them and doing the exam while they're sitting in their mom's lap. I only move them to the exam table at the very end to check the stuff I couldn't reach while they were snuggled up. It works perfectly every time.

The biggest shock of my entire medical training was realizing with my own eyes that a kid doesn't HAVE to cry every single time they visit a pediatrician's office.

That depends on how the doctor acts, but also on the mom (and her mindset). If Mom goes in feeling confident that everything is going to be fine, the kid isn't even afraid of the shot.
One little two-year-old actually thanked me for the shot the other day: "Thank you!" 😲 😲 Because her mom explained on the way to the clinic that the shot was necessary. 🙂

The nurse came running over, totally worked up, almost in tears! 😁 She said she had never seen anything like it. 🤣

bluedriver2 said:Maybe if the moderator could just change the thread title?

Oh, I don't think that's a good idea... because I still really, really want that stethoscope!!!🙂 😵 🙂 😵 🙂 😵 🙂 😵

Megan Campbell51 said:That wouldn't be a good idea because I still actually want a stethoscope!!!🙂 😵 🙂 😵 🙂 😵 🙂 😵

😁

And what's wrong with one of those cheap plastic kids' ones? Or just grabbing the cheapest thing at the Hospital?
Honestly, based on everything you've told us, sounds like you're doing a great job getting your kid to the doctor and they seem totally fine with it! 👍 Way to go, mama!

bluedriver2 said:😁

But what’s wrong with those cheap plastic toy sets?

So, first I grabbed this little doctor kit at Walmart for $27. When I finally got home, I was totally shocked—there wasn't even a stethoscope in there!!! (Like, it was just a kid's doctor set without the actual stethoscope👎 ). So then I went out and found one of those plastic ones, and I'll just quote myself here:
"Mommy, your heart isn't working, I can't hear anything..." (which, honestly, I kind of wanted to tell her I was a vampire🤣 😍 )

Or maybe just grab some cheap stuff at the Hospital?

Where is it? What is that even?

It really seems to me, based on everything you've told us, that you have such a great way of introducing your little one to the doctor, and your child has such an awesome attitude about it! Way to go, Mama!

thanks!

Why does Amoxil taste so absolutely gross, while a similar medicine for adults tastes totally fine? Shouldn't it be the other way around somehow????

Hospital is the go-to spot where we students—and honestly, anyone else looking to indulge in their little medical fantasies—pick up all that specialized gear, from scalpels and forceps to the more niche surgical tools. 😉 They actually have a branch right there on Fifth Avenue.

But really, wouldn't you be better off just grabbing a classic blood pressure monitor for about twenty bucks? Those usually come bundled with a stethoscope. It’ll be more than enough for whatever roleplay you have in mind... 😉

Can anyone who actually knows their stuff about shopping give me some advice on where to find a Littmann Cardiology III PLUM (and I mean the color matters, okay!!!) font>stethoscopes? 🙂 I’ve been trying to order one online, but I can't find it anywhere—at least not through any of the sites I've checked... Is it maybe available in some other country nearby? Heeeeeeelp

Man... I honestly can't remember the name of that company in Chicago that my old classmates used to order their Littmann stethoscopes through—but I know you can get everything through them. I'll look into it and find out.

I'm planning on buying my daughter a stetoskop 3 m Littmann Classic ii S. E. Black edition.

Hopefully she'll actually like it... she needs it for med school.

My question is, where should I buy this thing?
Online? (Maybe eBay or some other medical supply site)
Or through one of our local medical supply stores?

It’s definitely cheaper online, but I have no idea about the warranty or all that...

What would you guys recommend?!?

Sam Hall15 said:Well, maybe talking things out or trying other standard approaches might help. But if you're set on getting a stethoscope, perhaps a classic Riester model could work $83 or something along those lines.

Could someone please let me know where I can pick up a Riester? Thanks.

I've got this old stethoscope paired with a manual blood pressure cuff, but the rubber tubing has completely cracked from sitting around too long. Can I just buy some replacement silicone tubing in bulk, or am I stuck buying an entirely new stethoscope set?

Is anyone here actually using a Sprague Rappaport stethoscope? What’s the consensus so far?
Has anyone had the chance to auscultate with both a Sprague Rappaport and a Littmann—and if so, can you spot a difference?
It feels like there is one to me...

hollowdriver17 said:Is anyone actually using a Sprague Rappaport stethoscope? What’s the verdict?
Has anyone tried auscultating with a Littmann and then compared the two? Is there a noticeable difference?
To me, it feels like there is...

There definitely is a difference.
But what kind of differences are you picking up on exactly?
And which Littmann model are you using...

velvetmoose9 said:There are differences.
What specific differences are you noticing?
And which Littmann...

To me, the Sprague Rappaport feels more sensitive—not necessarily in terms of clarity or specificity, which is an advantage in some ways—but when listening to the thorax, you pick up peristalsis. Or for example, using the Sprague Rappaport, a murmur sounds like a II/6, whereas with the Littmann, it sounds like a I/6... plus, even the slightest touch on the tubing causes interference, which wasn't an issue with my Littmann (the classic one, I can't recall the exact model name)🤷

Have you noticed anything similar?

hollowdriver17 said:Personally, I feel like the Sprague Rappaport feels a bit more sensitive—not necessarily in terms of acoustic precision, which is a plus in some ways—but when you're listening to the thorax, you can actually hear the peristalsis. For instance, if I’m using the Sprague Rappaport, a murmur might sound like a II/6 intensity, whereas with the Littmann, it comes out as a I/6. Plus, even the slightest touch on the tubing messes with the sound on the Sprague Rappaport, while with my Littmann (the classic one, I think that was the exact model), I never really had that issue 🤷

Have you noticed those kinds of discrepancies too?

Nice catch! 🙏