Are Ear Thermometers Accurate?
Aug. 22, 2002 — Those infrared ear thermometers that have become so popular with pediatricians and parents are fast and easy to use, but are they accurate? A review of the research suggests they may not be, and while temperature variations are slight, they could make a difference in how a child is treated. Researchers found temperature discrepancies of as much as 1 degree in either direction when ear thermometer readings were compared with rectal thermometer readings, the most accurate form of measurement. They concluded that ear thermometers are not accurate enough to be used in situations where body temperature needs to be measured with precision. “In most clinical settings, the difference probably doesn’t represent a problem,” author Rosalind L. Smyth, MD, tells WebMD. “But there are situations where 1 degree could determine whether a child will be treated or not.” Smyth and colleagues from England’s University of Liverpool reviewed 31 studies comparing ear and rectal thermometer r
