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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DD sent home with a fever

19 replies

HeatherWhatever · 02/10/2020 22:49

Got a call to pick DD up from childcare today due to a high fever of 39+. Called my DH who is an essential worker who leaves work immediately and is told to get tested.

I arrive to pick DD up 40 minutes later (due to traffic), armed with Calpol and our hospital type in-ear thermometer in my car, so before we set off I can check the temp and note it down to keep an eye on it and make sure a dose is given before I sit in traffic again. DD is bouncing off the walls, chatty, etc. I'm told no medicine was given but quite a few kids were sent home due to this today.

I take the temperature and it's perfect which leaves me baffled. I start to wonder if it's a mistake, maybe it's been written on the wrong child's sheet or something as DD has never had a temperature that high that's come down on its own without medicine. I call the childcare provider back and query the time of the temperature taken, if it was more than once and explain what mine says. It turns out 5-10 minutes before I arrived it was still showing as a fever of 38+. My delivery was probably one of confusion when I spoke to them because I trust the childcare provider, I don't think they're lying and it's not that I don't believe them, it's just so strange for DD. It's still a mystery now as DD is her usual self with no temperature whatsoever, I'm checking frequently as DD can get delirious when her temp starts to go up around 39.

I was talking to a friend about this tonight as her DS was sent home from school with a fever earlier this week but has been off without looking to book a test - we haven't seen them in a few months. She's said she can't believe I was as rude to ask them about all of it.

WIBU to query this? Firstly, to find out more about how ill my child was in my absence and to know timings of things in case any information needs to be passed on to a doctor at a later time. Also to check it wasn't a mistake when when my whole household now needs to isolate until we can get a test booked in (not going to happen at the moment as despite religiously checking, apparently there's no test centres or home kits available in my area!), which will possibly result in loss of income for up to a week for my DH if it's a mistake.

OP posts:

FourPlasticRings · 02/10/2020 22:53

What type of thermometer did you use? The armpit ones tend to show lower readings.

ZigZaggyZoo · 02/10/2020 22:56

Yabu

steff13 · 02/10/2020 22:57

@FourPlasticRings

What type of thermometer did you use? The armpit ones tend to show lower readings.

She said an ear thermometer in the OP.

ElBandito · 02/10/2020 23:00

What type of thermometer did they use?

imissthesouth · 02/10/2020 23:00

I think they're just being careful. Maybe it is a mistake, but rules are rules i'm afraid. I don't think YABU, but not totally reasonable.

ChristmasinJune · 02/10/2020 23:02

The thing that jumps out at me is that she'd sent several children home for the same issue. Could it be her thermometer that's not working properly?

I tested 38.7 twice in a row at work the other day, they then fetched another thermometer and I was perfect..... which fitted with the fact that I felt well and not hot at all.

dementedpixie · 02/10/2020 23:04

Bizarre. I'd question what thermometer they were using especially if a few children were sent home. Makes me think it was maybe giving erroneous readings.
P.s. your dh shouldn't be getting tested without symptoms

Original poster

HeatherWhatever · 02/10/2020 23:08

Please don't think it's because I want her to be in with a fever or illness, I've had it and would not want to spread it to anyone. Plus I'm the type of parent who would like her home if she's ill anyway.

I get shit happens and it's the way the cookie crumbles with everything going on but I ask WIBU to ask about what actually happened? I wasn't rude in the way I asked, as far as I'm aware.

OP posts:

MushMonster · 02/10/2020 23:13

Temperatures do change throughout the day, and the tend to be higher at certains times of the day.
I have heard that they can be very variable with covid in particular. She may show a fever again tomorrow around the same time

Rose789 · 02/10/2020 23:17

No you aren’t being unreasonable or rude to ask for details. I’m sure the vast majority of parents would want to know timings and if any carpool had been given. Otherwise how else could you known.
It sounds like their thermometer is dodgy though and I would raise it with them so they are aware

saiditbetterthanme · 02/10/2020 23:34

I wonder if we use the same childcare provider , op, as the exact same thing happened to me.
I was expecting a poorly ds to come home after DH collected him but he was happy as Larry. Took his temp about 4 times, all healthy (they also used an ear thermometer) he's been fine since. Have monitored him since. He's completely fine. He had the flu jab a few days before so wondered if it was to do with that.

Original poster

HeatherWhatever · 03/10/2020 00:14

Yes, I was wondering if it was their thermometer, it's an infrared one but good idea @MushMonster I'll be checking it over this weekend and see if it's peaks around the same time.

OP posts:

Pinkyxx · 03/10/2020 00:59

YANBU. I’d have asked all the same questions, you need to know this stuff. Even so seems really bizarre for a temp to go from 38+ to normal in such a short period in a young child. Sounds possible they have a dodgy thermometer.

Original poster

HeatherWhatever · 03/10/2020 10:50

Even so seems really bizarre for a temp to go from 38+ to normal in such a short period in a young child.

Yes, this is it exactly.

I've already raised it with them that DD had a normal temp so even if she tests negative when tested it would be hard to prove if I thought their thermometer was broken unless other parents are reporting the same.

I've finally managed to get a test for DD though! I'm hoping she's ok because it's bloody awful if it actually develops.

OP posts:

Ccccchanges · 03/10/2020 14:06

If they used an infrared thermometer it could be faulty....

We have one at work and every time I’ve used it (following the instructions to the letter!) I’ve been dead (temp of 25 degrees)

AutumnleavesturntoGold · 03/10/2020 14:12

Of course it's not rude 😂.
There's an anomile and you need to get to the bottom of it

Thehop · 03/10/2020 14:15

Of course it’s not rude

unmarkedbythat · 03/10/2020 14:20

Of course it's not rude. Your friend sounds a bit weird. Told your child recorded a temp of 39+, you'd want to be bloody sure of the details, especially if she seems totally well and of normal temp now!

Starfish1021 · 04/10/2020 13:04

Of course your not rude. Your child is fine, the temp reading reflects how your child looks and not that of a febrile child. What are all supposed to just sleep walk into a loss of income and keeping everyone home unnecessarily if our children are fine?

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