Accuracy of pacifier thermometers in young children

Nurses and families are continually searching for less invasive yet accurate methods of measuring temperature in children. Although pacifier thermometers are readily accessible to consumers, few studies report the accuracy of such instruments. This study aimed to determine the validity/reliability of one type of pacifier thermometer in approximating core body temperature using a prospective, within-subjects design, comparing pacifier and rectal temperatures in children (n=25), ages 7 days to 24 months, in one pediatric hospital-based setting. The mean +/-SD difference between rectal and supralingual temperatures adjusted upward by 0.5 degrees F was 0.012 degrees F +/- 0.777 degrees F, which was not statistically significant. The 95% confidence interval (-0.309-0.333) fit within the manufacturer specifications. The correlations between the rectal and adjusted pacifier temperature was 0.772 and between 3-and 6-minute pacifier temperatures was 0.913. These data provide support to previous assertions that pacifier thermometry is an acceptable method of temperature approximation in young children.