6
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON
BODY TEMPERATURE AND ITS
MEASUREMENT
About Normal Body Temperature & Fever
The temperature in the forehead and temple area differs from the
internal temperature, which is taken orally or rectally. Vasocon-
striction, an effect which constricts the blood vessels and cools
the skin, can occur during the early stages of a fever. In this case,
the temperature measured by the Dr.Frei Non-Contact Infrared
forehead thermometer may be unusually low. If the measure-
ment therefore does not match the patient’s own perception or is
unusually low, repeat the measurement every 15 minutes. As a
reference, you can also measure the internal body temperature
using a conventional oral or rectal thermometer.
Body temperature can vary from one individual/person to next.
It also varies by location on the body and time of day. Below
shows the statistical normal ranges from different sites. Please
keep in mind that temperatures measured from different sites,
even at the same time, should not be directly compared. Fever
indicates that the body temperature is higher than normal. This
symptom may be caused by infection, overdressing or immuni-
zation. Some people may not experience fever even when they
are ill. These include, but are not limited to, infants younger than
3 months old, persons with compromised immune systems, per-
sons taking antibiotics, steroids or antipyretics (aspirin, ibupro-
fen, acetaminophen), or persons with certain chronic illnesses.
Please consult your physician when you feel ill even if you do
not have fever.
Table *1 Body Site Normal Temperature Range
Body Site
Normal Temperature Range
Oral 0.6°C (1°F) or more
above or below 37°C (98.6°F)
Rectal/ear 0.3°C to 0.6°C (0.5°F to 1°F)
higher than oral temperature
Axillary (armpit) 0.3°C to 0.6°C (0.5°F to 1°F)
lower than oral temperature
* Body Temperature at WebMD;
website: http://rstaid.webmd.com/body-temperature retrieved at 2010 Jan 7.
