Skin temperature measurement using an infrared thermometer on patients who have been exposed to cold

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if the skin temperature of febrile children is affected by the child's exposure to cold outdoor temperatures immediately prior to the taking of that temperature. A total of 150 febrile and non-febrile children (aged 3-10 years) who had walked to the hospital's pediatric emergency department and were thus exposed to outside cold weather were enrolled in the study. Using infrared thermometry, forehead and chest skin temperatures were simultaneously measured every 2 min during the first 14 min after presentation. Temperatures were recorded and differences between the two measurements were calculated. By the fifth evaluation (10 min from the first reading), skin temperatures from forehead and chest had equalized. Determination of fever from the body parts that had been exposed to cold environmental conditions may cause contradictory results if taken while the child is still chilled from exposure to the cold. For accuracy, children should be acclimated to the indoor temperature before taking body temperature readings. Acclimation takes at least 10 min after coming in from cold weather outside.