Infrared Thermometers A Good Alternative For Use O...( d wire thermometer. ...),Health

The researchers took the infants' left and right axillary temperatures when the babies were under a radiant warmer -- much like a heat lamp -- just before the babies' first bath. They again took both underarm temperatures before transferring the babies to the nursery or their mothers' rooms.

The axillary temperatures varied widely when the infants were under the radiant warmers. In fact, 22 percent of the temperatures taken with the infrared thermometer were incorrectly low when compared to the readings of the rectal thermistor.

"There was a greater disagreement between rectal and axillary temperatures in newborn infants under a radiant warmer, which may limit the use of infrared thermometers in this setting," Seguin said.

However, the researchers found that axillary temperatures taken an hour after infants had been wrapped in blankets and placed in cribs were more reliable substitutes for rectal temperature readings.

"Infants tend to move around a lot under the radiant warmer," Seguin said. "The underarm skin temperature may vary, depending on the infant's arm position before the measurement."

The researchers also compared the axillary and rectal temperatures of 12 premature babies in incubators. These babies were studied between five and 51 days of age. The researchers took one axillary reading three hours af
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Contact: John Seguin
Seguinj@chi.osu.edu
614-722-4528
Ohio State University
1-Mar-1999