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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To make my children go to school with temperatures over 39

80 replies

Allfednonedead · 08/02/2017 08:27

DS(6) and DTs(4). Two of them have temps over 39 but cheerful. The other no fever but complaining of not feeling well.
I've been up every night with them for five nights. The DTs don't go to nursery Mon-Tues, so it's been 24/7 since last Friday.
Given that they are all now clamouring for cake, WIBU to send them all to school?

OP posts:

kelper · 08/02/2017 08:51

My ds is off school at the mo, hos temp is 103. Calpol brings it down, calpol wears off, temp comes back up. Been like it since sunday. And he is ill, very quiet and not at all like he usually is, so hes off school.
Its meant all sorts of interestig childcare issues so we can both go to work (dh and i) but hes never ill so its a bit weird having him genuinely poorly.

Xmasbaby11 · 08/02/2017 08:54

They do need to stay home.

Are you getting cabin fever?!

NotBadConsidering · 08/02/2017 08:55

Most viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections are contagious for a good while after symptoms settle. For example you're contagious with RSV for about 8 days. Adenovirus is contagious for up to 6 weeks! No one is expected to keep their kids home for as long as their (unidentified) virus is contagious for, because that would mean well kids at home bouncing of the walls for days on end. There's a balance and kids who are very coughing and unwell shouldn't be spreading it around, but equally I think it's unreasonable to keep well kids at home.

SingingInTheRainstorm · 08/02/2017 08:56

Over 38 degrees of keep them off school as you need to be giving calpol/calpolfren at staggered intervals. School refuse to deal with medicines like that. Plus they must be feeling a bit grotty, iT needs monitoring too in case it gets higher.

This is just my opinion, although we've sent DC's to school with coughs and colds and done both medicines before school. We have the Braun ear thermometer but it rarely gets used. When DS had a nasty cold bug, he was visibly unwell and wanted to rest, he'd been at school during the day though.

Bumbumtaloo · 08/02/2017 08:57

You have my sympathy but YWBU to send them.

My eldest DD is off school at the moment, she was sick overnight Monday into Tuesday morning. She was completely back to normal when she woke up yesterday morning but we're in the no sick etc for 48hrs. She has had no more sickness is eating and drinking fine etc but quite rightly (as much as it pains me to say it!) she can't go to school.

HeyRoly · 08/02/2017 08:57

YABVU. FFS.

You really think it's OK to send children to school with high temps? With the knowledge that it'll get passed onto their classmates, and their classmates' siblings, some of whom may be young vulnerable babies?

Xmasbaby11 · 08/02/2017 08:57

I think especially since they've been up at night, they are clearly unwell. They probably seem full of energy and cheery at home relaxing, but if you took them out or to school they would quickly feel worse imo.

BaggyCheeks · 08/02/2017 09:02

I would be very surprised at any doctor saying a temperature of 41.6 was fine.

I had identical advice from our GP last week when I took DD (22m) in with a temperature of 41, and I was sent home with a leaflet telling me to "treat the child, not the fever" after being told I only should give ibuprofen or calpol if the temp is bothering her.

NotBadConsidering · 08/02/2017 09:02

You don't need to treat a temperature. You need to treat any underlying bacterial illness that might be causing the temperature, or any misery symptoms that might accompany the temperature, but you don't need to treat the number.

itsmine · 08/02/2017 09:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RedAndYellowStripe · 08/02/2017 09:06

Yes I fully agree with the temperature and treating the child.
Fever is actually the way of the body has to get rid of any infection so getting the fever down might not be the most productive thing to do.

My issue with that OP is that children can change quickly form being ok to being poorly, what if that happens at school because they are OK in the house but nursery is too demanding/tiring for them?

I would get out of the house though, maybe to the park/big green space so they can run around a bit and fall asleep once they are back home

Original poster

Allfednonedead · 08/02/2017 09:07

I have my doubts about the thermometer - it's a Braun infra-red thingy - but healthy people register reasonable temperatures on it.
My children always do get excitingly high temperatures, though.
Ps I am keeping them home to try to limit the infection risk, though as DS was in yesterday, I'm not sure how meaningful that will be.

OP posts:

bruffin · 08/02/2017 09:10

volunteer
there is no danger zone for convulsions. my ds has over 20 fc and the first sign he was ill was the convulsion. It is the temperature shooting up causing the convulsion rather than than the high temperature.

Original poster

Allfednonedead · 08/02/2017 09:10

redandyellow school is a lot closer than any Park, so picking them up wouldn't be a problem.

But I'm resigned to my martyrdom on behalf of other parents! (Can you tell I'm feeling sorry for myself?)

OP posts:

Rugbyplayersarehot · 08/02/2017 09:12

With a temp of 39 they are liable to febrile convulsions it's very high.

If they are cheerful and eating cake your thermometer is wrong.

Imnotaslimjim · 08/02/2017 09:18

rugbyplayersarehot

DC aren't at risk of convulsions from a sustained high temp. It's how quickly it rises that causes the fits, not the temp it reaches.

Allfednonedead

I do understand your frustration (and exhaustion) but they will be better soon. Can you bring their duvets downstairs and make a nest for them all and have a quiet day together?

schokolade · 08/02/2017 09:20

Obviously it'd be unreasonable to send them, but you know that.

Many sympathies on having to give up your idea of a rest though!! Everyone's sick here and an unexpected extra day (or few days) would probably finish me off.

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks · 08/02/2017 09:24

I feel for you. My DTs were off school for the first time ever yesterday. One has had a temp of 38.5 for two days. This morning they're still feeling very rough, but the fever has broken so off to school they went (not without a fight though lol). If the temp had still been high this morning I would never have sent them.

The thing is - if everyone kept their kids off school for a cold this time of year then the school would probably be empty. I would still never send them while they have a fever though.

aintnothinbutagstring · 08/02/2017 09:27

YaBu, if they have an active fever, they shouldn't be in school full stop and most schools state this in their sickness policy. Yes they may be lovely and bouncy with their fever but the rest of the class and their teacher would probably rather avoid your children's lurgy, hth.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 08/02/2017 09:29

Most home used, pharmacy bought thermometers are inaccurate and if the kids are happy it's unlikely their temp is properly high. I've never seen a genuine temperature of 41.6 recorded in a sick child in any hospital monitoring in the last 15 years of paediatrics. If the kids are happy, hungry for cake and not wanting to lie in bed, they can go to school

My 4yo had one taken in hospital over the weekend, three weeks before he also had the same temp taken a few times initially they tested and confirmed scarlet fever now they are going along the lines of Kawasaki disease. All temps were taken on a children's ward in a hospital.

Lndnmummy · 08/02/2017 09:32

OP you have my sympathy. You know you would BU to send them in so Im just sendinf you sympathy and strength. My son is the same. High spirits and jumping off the walls. Always. Even with acute croup and pnemonia. He is just that kind of child. Mu friends always say "aw I love sickdays, you can cuddle up and watch a little film on the sofa together" and my husband and I always give eachother "the look". My son is off school today. Bad chesty cough, sore throat, temp 39. Still he is Mr Sunshine and has been up full of beans since 5.30. He has currently transformed the living room to a pirate ship and is screeching from the top of his voice "rrrrr shipmate" for the 1000000th time.

Its going to be a loooong day

PickAChew · 08/02/2017 09:34

Very unreasonable.

They might seem well, others may not react do well when they share it around.

BingoBingoBingoBango · 08/02/2017 09:34

It's the speed the temperature goes up not how high the temperature is that causes convulsions.

And you don't need to treat a temperature, treat the child if they're miserable or in pain.

witsender · 08/02/2017 09:35

Yabu, definitely.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 08/02/2017 09:35

39? Poor things of course they should stay off school.

My DD got rushed into hospital with a temp of 39.6 when she was younger. The consultant told us aside from a virus, the a temperature of 39 and above indicates either a chest infection or a UTI.

I've never forgot it and never been wrong in my judgement with further infections. The only other time my DS had a temp that wouldn't go down was when he had an extremely rare and bad reaction to his preschool booster jabs.

Day off today with plenty of fluids and duvets and dvds and hopefully its just a virus. There's a lot going around at the minute. If no better tomorrow. GPs as soon as you can. Hope they're better soon OP.

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