Comparison of axillary, rectal and skin-based temperature assessment in preschoolers

This study describes a clinical comparison of temperatures taken by rectal and axillary routes and by the Clinitemp II fever detector, which is a forehead-adhering strip that measures body temperature. Simultaneous temperatures were taken on a convenience sample of 70 ambulatory preschool children. Readings obtained by the Clinitemp II were found to be similar to those obtained using a rectal thermometer. Recommendations are made for the use of the Clinitemp II fever-detector strip as an acceptable screening alternative for determining body temperature trends in ambulatory children from 1 to 5 years of age.