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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to send DS to school tomorrow?

20 replies

withgreatpower · 29/01/2013 21:36

DS (8 y.o.) had a slightly raised temperature (37.2) yesterday at 7 pm. This morning he had no temperature, so I sent him to school. He was fine in the afternoon, although he complained about feeling tired (he still managed to jump around and eat well). This evening he felt hot, so I measured his temperature: 38 C. I gave him some Calpol and he was asleep by 8.30pm.

If tomorrow morning he has not temperature, AIBU if I send him to school? Both I and DH work, and cannot stay home (I already missed two days of work a couple of weeks ago because DD was ill, and DH was home with her for 1 day). We have no family that can help, and don't have any close friends (we moved here only recently).

What if DS has something like 37.3 C in the morning but is able to jump around? Is it U to give him Calpol in the morning and ask the teacher to phone me to pick him up if he's unwell? will ask school to keep him indoors at playtime, as it is quite cold and windy here at the moment.

OP posts:

Alliwantisaroomsomewhere · 29/01/2013 21:55

YWouldNBU to send him to school with a temp of about 37.3 if your DS is well enough to jump around. If he is lethargic and listless, that's a different matter.

I don't think that a slightly raised temp is worth a day off school and work if all else is well. BUT: I am not medically trained!

Spatsky · 29/01/2013 22:22

Am in 100% agreement with alliwant

McNewPants2013 · 29/01/2013 22:24

see how he is in the morning, if he is fine then send him in.

HappySeven · 29/01/2013 22:25

Sounds perfectly reasonable. 37.3 is within the limits for normal and healthy (my dd was allowed to have her jabs as long as it was below 37.5 and she seemed healthy as that was the healthy range). He's probably just brewing a cold and his temperature's slightly raised to help him fight it off. I'd do exactly what you're suggesting although I probably wouldn't bother mentioning anything to the teacher.

WorraLiberty · 29/01/2013 22:28

Sounds fine to me

I always go on how the kids are in themselves, regardless of temperature...because even if it's normal the child might be clearly too ill to go in or vice versa.

Having said that, my kids are 21yrs, 13.5yrs and 10yrs...and yet I've never owned a thermometer.

My Mum didn't either, we just go on touch and instinct.

STOPtheworldimgettingoff · 29/01/2013 22:30

As long as he is not vomiting etc then yanbu to send her to school & if she has a slight temperature in the morning just give some calpol & tell the teacher so they can keep an eye on him .
My Ds only ever seems to be ill in the evenings & then fine in the morning so I send him to school

STOPtheworldimgettingoff · 29/01/2013 22:31

I meant he not she sorry

Original poster

withgreatpower · 29/01/2013 22:32

I thought I was being heartless at even thinking about sending him to school with 37.3 C! I'll see how he feels tomorrow morning then. Thanks for the advice.

OP posts:

DeepRedBetty · 29/01/2013 22:34

I've always sent them in if they're still bouncing, unless they've been sick/had the runs in past 24 hours. Not fair on the others to chuck tummy bugs around, sometimes they hit other people's children like a ton of bricks.

This low level vague cold-y thing seems to be everywhere atm.

sukysue · 29/01/2013 22:36

send him I'm sure he'll be fine, probably got a cold coming, tell the teacher and they can give you a ring to pick him up if needs be .

SquinkiesRule · 29/01/2013 22:58

I'd send him too.
I'm sending Dd in tomorrow.
She had a temp of 40 all weekend, then it dropped to 38 Monday morning, then the bloody thermometer broke, she still had jelly legs so kept her home went and got another thermometer and today she's been at 37.5 most of the day Jelly legs are improving and she's soaking in the bath and needs a hair wash from being so hot.
Whats weird, she had temp, jelly legs and said the food tastes like nothing so hasn't eaten only drank some juice and water.
If they need to send them home they are pretty quick to call.

RueDeWakening · 29/01/2013 23:05

I sent DD to school today - she had a slight temp when she woke up, but was cheerful and bouncy (she's 5) so gave her some calpol and off she went. Under instructions to tell the teacher that she felt hot if necessary and I'd collect her, but she was fine all day. Will do the same tomorrow - the temp seems to spike in the evening and be OK during the day so far. I'd have told the teacher, but parents are not allowed in the playground at drop off, so no chance to do so.

blackeyedsusan · 29/01/2013 23:08

ibuprofen (childrens) may last longer. if he is jumping aound and not listless, send him in. they will ring if necessary. you then have done at least half a day!

larks35 · 29/01/2013 23:20

Not unreasonable at all. DS (4yo) only gets to stay home if he is sick (only happened once in 4 years), has been up through the night (happened once in this last year) or has raised temp and very tired and listless in the morning (again only once in this last year). Other than that he gets on with it. I've never been asked to come and get him and I do think that it is better to troup on through mild illnesses rather than wallow in them.

Yfronts · 30/01/2013 00:06

If hes 38 in the morning I don't think you should send him. Wouldn't be fair on the chap.

Play it by ear though

Goldmandra · 30/01/2013 00:17

*Having said that, my kids are 21yrs, 13.5yrs and 10yrs...and yet I've never owned a thermometer.

My Mum didn't either, we just go on touch and instinct.*

I got a dreadful dressing down from a young GP when DD1 had a vaccination reaction at 3mths for doing that. He flatly refused to believe that I could tell that her temp was normal and checked it himself. It was normal.

I have never needed to use a thermometer and on the odd occasion I have used it I just found it confirmed what I already knew.

OP if he seems fit and healthy send him in. If he needs paracetamol/ibuprofen to seem to be fit and healthy he is ill and should not go in and share it round.

Pandemoniaa · 30/01/2013 00:44

I'm not a great believer in thermometers either. I think you can read too much into them, tbh.

Usually, if a child has a high enough temperature to be kept at home then they'll already have presented you a whole range of symptoms that are clear evidence that they are poorly.

KobayashiMaru · 30/01/2013 02:42

37 deg is normal body temp

Eliza22 · 30/01/2013 08:07

I've kept my ds off a second day, today. He seemed ok last night. A bit snotty, no temp as far as I could see (have to judge by looking at, as no thermometer). However, got up this morning and his chest sounds like an old man. I'm scared hell catch something else whilst 'compromised' so, keeping him at home.

No doubt by lunchtime, he'll be full of beans and driving me nuts.

Original poster

withgreatpower · 30/01/2013 21:05

Update: DS felt very warm this morning. Temperature was 38. So I kept him home and I tried to work from home. Got a bit done. He was not up playing with his Legos all day, but he did say that he felt cold and weak. He's asleep now, and doesn't feel warm, but he's starting to cough and to have a runny nose. Hopefully his temperature will be normal tomorrow as I really have to go to work. I'll ask the teacher to keep him inside all day and to phone me if he's poorly. Poor child.

OP posts:

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