Reasons why your temperature was taken rectally

I would say the reasons for getting rectal temps include a combination of accuracy, safety and policy. At home my mother took rectal temps until right around my 8th birthday. She had tried to start me on oral around 6 1/2, but I obviously was not ready and was back on rectal for another 18 months after breaking an oral thermometer.

At my pediatrician, the policy was that rectal temperatures were taken until the child's 9th birthday. After that it was up to the parents and if children had mastered oral at home, they would get oral at the pediatrician. This meant that I had one or perhaps two rectal temps at the pediatrician after mastering oral at home as an 8 year old.

Right before my 10th birthday I had a nasty reaction to some medication and was taken to the ER. As soon as I was admitted I found myself face down with my pants pulled down and a thermometer in my bottom. I was shocked and felt really embarrassed about it. I had mastered oral both at home and at the pediatrician so this was the last thing I was expecting. Looking back I was very nauseous and had been vomiting so it made sense to do rectal. I also wonder if it was just policy for pediatric patients to be given rectal temperatures.