The recommended method to assess temperature in infants remains controversial. Historically, infant temperatures were obtained rectally, but with newer technology that includes temporal scanning and tympanic measurement, rectal temperatures are less common. In addition, parents are often more comfortable obtaining axillary temperatures. When obtaining infant temperatures, the question remains-"does the site really make a difference?" The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of rectal and axillary temperatures in children younger than 1 year of age. A total of 850 temperatures (425 rectal, 425 axillary) were obtained on 84 infants using digital thermometers. Rectal temperatures were found to be approximately 0.5degC higher. Furthermore, in children with fever, the difference was greater: an average of 0.83degC. The axillary method failed to identify fever in 29% of the temperatures taken. It is imperative to obtain accurate temperatures in infants because treatment recommendations are often guided by temperature.
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