Ear temperature measurements in healthy children using the arterial heat balance method.

This study was undertaken to determine the upper limit of normal ear temperatures, defined as the 95th percentile for infants, children, and adolescents, using the arterial heat balance method for measuring ear temperatures. Ear temperatures were measured in 62 infants, 0-2 months of age; 346 children, 3-47 months; 226 children, 48-119 months; and 172 adolescents, 120-227 months using the LighTouch Pedi-Q (Exergen Corp, Watertown, MA) ear thermometer. The 95th percentiles for the four age groups were 100.1 degrees F (37.8 degrees C), 100.3 degrees F (37.9 degrees C), 99.8 degrees F (37.7 degrees C), and 99.8 degrees F (37.7 degrees C), respectively. Temperatures above 100.0 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) using the LighTouch Pedi-Q ear thermometer should be considered elevated.