PEDIATRICS Vol. 87 No. 1 January 1991, pp. 34-38
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Infrared Thermometry of Newborn Infants

Karen J. Johnson RN1, Priya Bhatia 1, and Edward F. Bell MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City

An infrared thermometer, the FirstTemp, was tested among newborn infants by comparing tympanic membrane temperature measurements in three operating modes, "Cal-tympanic," "Cal-surface," and "Cor-tympanic," with nearly simultaneous tympanic membrane, rectal, and axillary temperature measurements using other standard methods. The FirstTemp underestimated other measurements of body temperature in the "Cal-tympanic" mode and overestimated them in the "Cor-tympanic" mode. In the "Cal-surface" mode, the First-Temp readings were significantly lower than tympanic membrane temperatures measured with a thermistor probe and electronic thermometer (mean difference 0.2°C) but not significantly different from rectal or axillary temperatures. According to these results, the FirstTemp can be used reliably in the "Cal-surface" mode but not in the "Cal-tympanic" or "Cor-tympanic" mode. Its speed and ease of operation offer significant advantages over traditional clinical methods of temperature measurement.

Key Words: newborn temparature • temperature measurement • thermometer • thermistor

Submitted on October 11, 1989
Accepted on April 6, 1990




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