title: Axillary and rectal temperature measurements in infants.
abstract: Rectal and axillary temperatures were measured during the daytime in 281 infants seen randomly at home and 656 at hospital under 6 months old, using mercury-in-glass thermometers. The normal temperature range derived from the babies at home was 36.7-37.9 degrees C for rectal temperature and 35.6-37.2 degrees C for axillary temperature. Rectal temperature was higher than axillary in 98% of the measurements. The mean (SD) difference between rectal and axillary temperatures was 0.7 (0.5) degrees C, with a range of 3 degrees C. When used in hospital to detect high temperature, axillary temperature had a sensitivity of 73% compared with rectal temperature. This is too insensitive for accurate detection of an infant's high temperature. Rectal temperature measurement is safer than previously suggested: perforation has occurred in less than one in two million measurements. If an infant's temperature needs to be taken, rectal temperature should be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Hewson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001365:Axilla; D001831:Body Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008722:Methods; D012007:Rectum; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013821:Thermometers; D013997:Time Factors