title: Temperature measurement in pediatrics: a comparison of the rectal method versus the temporal artery method.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference between temperature readings obtained using two different electronic temperature devices: one measuring temporal artery temperature (TAT) and one measuring rectal temperature (RT). A comparative single-group design was used with each participant acting as his or her control. The sample consisted of 47 pediatric patients between 3 and 36 months of age. Data analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between TAT and RT; however, concerns related to statistical significance versus clinical significance are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bahorski
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Repasky
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ranner
authors.forename: Ally
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moultry
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandell
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D013817:Thermography / Q000295:instrumentation*