Temperature last night but gone today

[anxiouscrazymum]

My son has a cold, he woke at about 11pm and was unsettled, checked temp and it was 37.8. I have him calpol and he went back to sleep until 7am. Sniffles seem slightly better today and temp is 36.9. Would you send to school or get a covid test! I am such an anxious mess I don't know what to do!!

I'd keep him home if it spikes again get a test

I would check the schools Covid policy. Some want the temperature to reach 38 deg and for them to have a continuous cough.

I thought, from reading the NHS covid info, that a fever was defined as over 38.0C, so what you're describing would seem to be normal for a child with a cold. If it were my DC, I wouldn't get a test.

My dcs school wanted a test at 37.8. Other schools are saying 38 so I would check

I would check the schools Covid policy. Some want the temperature to reach 38 deg and for them to have a continuous cough

Any schools with this police are going against government guidelines..

Was it not slightly up because he was tucked up in bed?

Assuming it is the last day of this half term I would keep him off but I don't think I would order a test right now if he isn't coughing and hasn't been in contact with someone with coronavirus. Monitor his temperature today and see how he is. It could be because he was in bed, especially if an ear one and he was lying on that side.

@Fucket

I would check the schools Covid policy. Some want the temperature to reach 38 deg and for them to have a continuous cough.

Any school with such a policy has either grossly misunderstood the guidance or is wilfully encouraging pupils and the families of pupils to go against public health rules during a pandemic.

I'm not someone who complains about every little thing, but I would ask them to confirm this policy in writing, and I would contact the LEA to flag this as an issue.

He had a temp of 37.8c so you need to get him tested. It’s a PITA but it’s what needs to done to protect others.

My 18month has Covid and is now really poorly with it. He didnt have the typical symptoms - was warm to touch. Never had a temp, runny nose, cackley breathing, near a week on has a bark of a cough constant, that bad he cant keep food down . If in doubt defo request test it only takes a few mins ! Drs told me my son would be fine and wouldnt test i had to insist so glad i did.

They’d re following the nhs information on Covid symptoms in children:

Symptoms of coronavirus in children

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

a high temperature
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – this means they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

My kids school sent my children home when they had temperatures of 37.8 and had a croup like cough. my sisters kids school say 38 And had to be a dry continuous cough.

No idea if we had Covid as at the time at beginning of term couldn’t get a test for love nor money.

So I have kept him home and we have been for a test! Better to be safe xx

It's a tricky one as a minimum I would keep them off from school today. Our school states 37.8C as a high temperature. My DD needed a Covid-19 test with a horrible cold as after 2 days she started coughing, a lot, and had a brief temperature of 37.8C so the need for testing was more clear cut. Thankfully it was negative so just a normal cold.

Good call @anxiouscrazymum It's going to be a long winter!