The axillary temperature may be as much as two degrees lower than the rectal temperature. However this is only possible up to a certain body mass and this type of measurement also takes a long time.

Full Text Accuracy And Precision Of Four Common Peripheral
Axillary body temperature measurement. When taking axillary temperature it can be useful to compare it to ear oral and rectal temperature readings. In adult patients the temperature of an axillary measurement is lower than a rectal measurement up to 19 c. A normal axillary temperature is between 966 359 c and 98 f 367 c. The normal axillary temperature range is approximately between 347 c and 373 c. Age 5 weeks old. However the ease and accuracy of tympanic body temperature measurement have provided for a superiority of use in the.
An axillary temperature is actually influenced by the fact that the temperature on the outer surface of the body is being measured. But the temperature readings vary depending on which one you use and you need an accurate body temperature to determine if a fever is present. Only three or 5 of the 60 core axillary pairs met the expected 2 degrees f 12 degrees c difference. Rectal axillary temperature 1 celsius. One study found axillary temperatures were accurate in under 3 months of age. The normal axillary temperature is usually a degree lower than the oral by mouth temperature.
However this method of measuring body temperature is not as accurate as rectal measurement and has a low sensitivity for fever failing to determine three or four out of every ten fever measurements in children. These researchers suggest that mercury thermometers be used in cases where small. Shann 1996 arch pediatr adolesc med 15074 8 pubmed interpretation. Body temperature changes slightly through the day and night and may change. You can take a temperature using the mouth oral anus rectal armpit axillary or ear tympanic. Therefore normal axillary temperature would range between 976 degrees and 981 degrees.
This measurement also known as axillary temperature tends to be about half a degree to a degree below oral temperature 1. There are several ways to measure a persons body temperature. Rectal axillary temperature 02week of age c age 1 month old. 17 axillary temperature also shows correlation with tympanic temperature 17. Temperature under the arm axillary is about 365 c 977 f. These findings support the accuracy of axillary temperature measurement as a reflection of core body temperature measurement in nonpostoperative patients.
Having said that if you are dealing with very small kids you are probably better off with an axillary temperature. Medical research hasnt determined an exact correlation between. Temperature taken under the arm usually is considered to be less accurate than most other body locations for measuring temperature. Well an oral temperature is actually more accurate when you compare it to the axillary temperature.