Question

One can have an inaccurate reading on a thermometer if:

Answer 1

Answer:

If you have a newborn, your pediatrician will probably advise against an ear thermometer in favor of a rectal, forehead, or underarm device. Also, earwax or tiny ear canals can interfere with digital ear thermometers, giving you an inaccurate reading.

Answer 2

Explanation:

They found that if a surface thermometer (ear, axillary, or infrared) found an elevated temperature, the child had a 96% percent chance of having a truly elevated inner or core temperature. ... The surface thermometers were fairly inaccurate with common levels of error hovering around 1/2 to 3 full degrees Fahrenheit.