Abstract
Abdominal skin temperature of human neonates who are dressed and blanketed closely approximates core temperature. Although valuable in the detection of such illness as sepsis and hypoglycemia, the low yield of detecting abnormalities in term infants has resulted in temperature being measured at widely spaced intervals in most nurseries. This report describes a widely spaced intervals in most nurseries. This report describes a way of visually estimating body temperature using the cholesteric phenomenon. A mixture of cholesteric crystals was formulated whose color was green between 36.3–37.1°C (normal abd. skin temp.). Below this temp. the color brown; above, green-blue (37.2–37.9°C) or blue(>37.9°C). The crystals were fixed to black saran plastic with an adhesive undersurface which permitted fixation to the skin. 365 observations (65 infants) were made of the color of the abdominal tape compared to rectal temperature.
Conclusions: Body temperature of term infants can be estimated accurately, quickly, simply and frequently by this method.
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Oliver, T., Hall, R. Visual estimation of body temperature in neonates. Pediatr Res 5, 414–415 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00181
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00181