Melissa Klein1, Thomas G DeWitt. 1. Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnett Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. melissa.klein@cchmc.org
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fever is a common symptom in children. Assessment of accuracy of parental temperature measurement is integral in determining proper medical management. METHODS: The authors recruited 25 afebrile and 13 febrile children from outpatient sites. Participants had rectal temperatures measured by a trained study staff, followed by axillary temperature measurements by trained study staff and parent. Analysis of variance was used to compare the afebrile and febrile groups; the paired t test was used to compare parent and study personnel's axillary temperature measurements. Analysis included the statistical significance of Pearson's correlation coefficients for the various comparisons. RESULTS: In both febrile and afebrile groups, the rectal temperatures were greater than axillary temperature measurements, but the difference was not consistent. There was a very high correlation (correlation coefficient range = .86-.96) between axillary temperature measurements performed by trained study staff and parents. CONCLUSIONS: Parental report of axillary temperature measurement can be considered reliable.
BACKGROUND: Fever is a common symptom in children. Assessment of accuracy of parental temperature measurement is integral in determining proper medical management. METHODS: The authors recruited 25 afebrile and 13 febrile children from outpatient sites. Participants had rectal temperatures measured by a trained study staff, followed by axillary temperature measurements by trained study staff and parent. Analysis of variance was used to compare the afebrile and febrile groups; the paired t test was used to compare parent and study personnel's axillary temperature measurements. Analysis included the statistical significance of Pearson's correlation coefficients for the various comparisons. RESULTS: In both febrile and afebrile groups, the rectal temperatures were greater than axillary temperature measurements, but the difference was not consistent. There was a very high correlation (correlation coefficient range = .86-.96) between axillary temperature measurements performed by trained study staff and parents. CONCLUSIONS: Parental report of axillary temperature measurement can be considered reliable.
Authors: Kenneth A Michelson; Mark I Neuman; Christopher M Pruitt; Sanyukta Desai; Marie E Wang; Adrienne G DePorre; Rianna C Leazer; Laura F Sartori; Richard D Marble; Sahar N Rooholamini; Christopher Woll; Fran Balamuth; Paul L Aronson Journal: Arch Dis Child Date: 2020-08-20 Impact factor: 4.920