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Background

Monitoring of body temperature is an important clinical procedure in the care of sick children, especially the under-5 children, as many disease conditions present with fever. The oral mercury-in-glass thermometer which has relatively good accuracy cannot be used in children less than 5 years because it requires their cooperation.

Objective

This study was aimed at using the infrared tympanic thermometer (IRTT) in oral mode to measure temperature in febrile and afebrile children less than 5 years.

Methods

Rectal and tympanic temperatures were measured consecutively in 400 febrile and 400 afebrile under-5 children matched for age, using the mercury-in-glass thermometer and the IRTT in oral mode respectively.

Results

In the febrile children, the mean tympanic temperature was 38.6±0.9 C, while the mean rectal temperature was 39.0±0.8 C. In the afebrile group, the mean tympanic temperature was 37 …