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Original poster

Would you send reception child to school today ? Illness related

193 replies

savetheday · 07/10/2024 07:03

My threshold for illness and sending my child to nursery has always been very low. So any slight issue, I tend to keep her home.

She's started school now and her brother has had a fever for a few days. She woke up today and I took her temperature at 38. I told her she may not be able to go to school today and she was distraught because she's going to miss her friends, bless her.

Anyway, she's downstairs now and the temp seems to have come down on its own at around 37.4, some times 37.7.

In my opinion, she should not go in today.

What would you do ?

As I said, my usual threshold is low but I understand that now she's at school - she'll sometimes need to go in even with a sore throat or something but I draw the line at waking up with a fever ? To me that means she's not well and coming down with something.

She says she doesn't have pain anywhere.

OP posts:
icallshade · 07/10/2024 08:35

Op, gently, this is ridiculous.
You are not teaching your child resilience at all by having such a low threshold to be off of school. Do you take a day off of work everytime you are mildly unwell?
I have a 2.5yr old and have taken her temperature 3 times in her life- I certainly wouldn't be taking her temperature because her skin felt hot straight out of bed! It would be like taking her temperature after a bath!
I'm glad you've sent her in.

Original poster
savetheday · 07/10/2024 08:34

luckylavender · 07/10/2024 08:29

You sound a bit silly OP. Your child wants to go to school & you are making her miss a trip when there's nothing wrong with her.

Not really. She's at school now. I was just being cautious. I jumped to the conclusion that she was sick because she had a raised temp and my son is ill.

Once I realised she's ok, I took her in.

OP posts:
luckylavender · 07/10/2024 08:29

You sound a bit silly OP. Your child wants to go to school & you are making her miss a trip when there's nothing wrong with her.

DragonGypsyDoris · 07/10/2024 08:26

savetheday · 07/10/2024 07:08

I don't know I just don't want her feeling horrible at school and also giving her illness to other kids. I think when they're unwell, they should stay home.

It didn't really matter as much in nursery but now it matters. They have a class trip this morning she's been dying to go on.

Show quote history

Make this about your daughter's general happiness and wellbeing, then the decision will be easy.

Beezknees · 07/10/2024 08:24

I'd also have sent her in. Don't think I've ever taken DS's temperature.

itwasnevermine · 07/10/2024 08:21

savetheday · 07/10/2024 08:10

Right so when she woke up and called for me this morning, she just didn't sound right and when I got to her, she said mummy my skin feels really hot.
I touched her and she seemed hot. So I took her temperature.

I immediately thought 'yup she's ill with the virus'.

I got her downstairs and she just seemed so fine and that's why I took the temperature again a couple of times to see if that was a one off.

I don't think it's that weird how this happened to be honest.

I watched her for a bit while posting here and it seems that she's fine.

So she's on her way to school now.

I'm not a weirdo. I'm just trying to do the best form my child and others by not spreading her virus. Also she's going swimming today at school

Of course she was warm, she was in bed! If she's hot in bed she needs less bedding

TenWeeCaramelJoeys · 07/10/2024 08:19

savetheday · 07/10/2024 08:10

Right so when she woke up and called for me this morning, she just didn't sound right and when I got to her, she said mummy my skin feels really hot.
I touched her and she seemed hot. So I took her temperature.

I immediately thought 'yup she's ill with the virus'.

I got her downstairs and she just seemed so fine and that's why I took the temperature again a couple of times to see if that was a one off.

I don't think it's that weird how this happened to be honest.

I watched her for a bit while posting here and it seems that she's fine.

So she's on her way to school now.

I'm not a weirdo. I'm just trying to do the best form my child and others by not spreading her virus. Also she's going swimming today at school

I don't see any issue with any of this. I was always quite cautious with my two when they were small, because any hint of a fever was always the beginning of something pretty nasty. If I had sent them into school, they would have been merrily spreading their illness around the class. Mild illnesses, like the cold, didn't seem to cause a raised temperature in either of my children, so it was school as usual with sniffles etc, provided they were fully functioning.

SometimesCalmPerson · 07/10/2024 08:16

This is why schools have become so draconian about attendance. When parents are prepared to keep their children off school for next to nothing, schools have to do something.

Next time someone starts a thread complaining about attendance awards, instead of blaming schools and teachers, maybe we should blame parents for keeping children off when they don’t need to.

LostittoBostik · 07/10/2024 08:12

If she's eating breakfast and happy I would give her a dose of baby nurofen (lasts six hours) and send her in. But I'd wfh so that I was nearby if I got a call.

Original poster
savetheday · 07/10/2024 08:11

Victoriancat · 07/10/2024 08:08

You sound like you have school anxiety tbh.

What is your problem

OP posts:
Original poster
savetheday · 07/10/2024 08:10

Right so when she woke up and called for me this morning, she just didn't sound right and when I got to her, she said mummy my skin feels really hot.
I touched her and she seemed hot. So I took her temperature.

I immediately thought 'yup she's ill with the virus'.

I got her downstairs and she just seemed so fine and that's why I took the temperature again a couple of times to see if that was a one off.

I don't think it's that weird how this happened to be honest.

I watched her for a bit while posting here and it seems that she's fine.

So she's on her way to school now.

I'm not a weirdo. I'm just trying to do the best form my child and others by not spreading her virus. Also she's going swimming today at school

OP posts:
Victoriancat · 07/10/2024 08:08

You sound like you have school anxiety tbh.

Teanbiscuits33 · 07/10/2024 08:05

You sound like you have some sort of health anxiety yourself, OP. You sound a bit obsessive over temperatures and as if you have already decided to keep her off and are looking for an excuse to confirm your choice. Definitely more to this.

CurlewKate · 07/10/2024 08:00

Treat the child, not the number!

pizzaHeart · 07/10/2024 07:58

Milesandmilesandmiles · 07/10/2024 07:07

No I wouldn’t and the school wouldn’t want her in either. Her brother has had a fever and so it’s likely she has caught it, and not fair to pass to the other children. Also temperatures are always lower in the morning so it’s likely to go higher later.

NHS also says no: www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Yes to this ^
And it’s not a low threshold it’s a normal threshold.

TheChosenTwo · 07/10/2024 07:58

Bloody hell the neurotic temperature taking is delaying you, hope you’re on your way now and she doesn’t miss her trip!!

Ellie1015 · 07/10/2024 07:54

Clothes on, toast or something in the car or on the walk and get to school on time. Not fair for dc to miss trip because you are running late.

WillowTit · 07/10/2024 07:44

she shouldnt miss her trip, she will rally round

DancingPhantomsOnTheTerrace · 07/10/2024 07:34

savetheday · 07/10/2024 07:13

I just don't know if we can even be on time to get to school at this point, that's the issue. And she really needs to be on time for the trip.

It basically sounds like you have already decided she's not going, because presumably you've not continued with your normal morning routine, if you're now going to be late?

It wouldn't really have occurred to me to keep her off in the circumstances you describe. I don't have a thermometer so unless they're really warm and/or have some other symptoms, I wouldn't keep them home. I wouldn't know if their temp had gone from 37.5 to 38 for example.

BrutusMcDogface · 07/10/2024 07:27

She needs to go in, but I also agree that there seems to be more to it. Are you missing her too much or something, now that she’s started school? Do you have health anxiety?

Lougle · 07/10/2024 07:25

savetheday · 07/10/2024 07:16

No not at all. I'm just worried we are going to be late now and I don't want to make them late for their trip. They explicitly said that the kids need to be on time

Show quote history

How can she be late? Quick wash, shove her uniform on, brush her hair and out the door. 20 minutes if you get on with it.

fruitpastille · 07/10/2024 07:24

Thermometers are not that accurate - often give different readings. Was there any need to check it? - I would only do it for an obviously poorly child. If she seems well in herself, send her in. School will contact you if necessary. It sets a bit of a precedent if you start keeping them off for very minor stuff.

Lougle · 07/10/2024 07:23

Milesandmilesandmiles · 07/10/2024 07:07

No I wouldn’t and the school wouldn’t want her in either. Her brother has had a fever and so it’s likely she has caught it, and not fair to pass to the other children. Also temperatures are always lower in the morning so it’s likely to go higher later.

NHS also says no: www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

If you follow that link through, the NHS defines fever as 38°c in children.

bluebellsInWinter · 07/10/2024 07:22

Op, kindly, put mumsnet down and get your daughter there. If it's trip she's going to miss thats a real shame as those sort of activities are the highlight at that age.

She doesn't have a temperature now.

Moggmegg · 07/10/2024 07:21

savetheday · 07/10/2024 07:16

No not at all. I'm just worried we are going to be late now and I don't want to make them late for their trip. They explicitly said that the kids need to be on time

Show quote history

It won't hold the trip up, they'll go when they go- you should be rushing around rather than posting on here if this is genuinely the concern.