One early morning “temperature” doesn’t mean we need to self isolate?

[Lobsterroll]

DS 18 months is always rosy in the mornings, he wraps himself up in his cellular blanket and only kicks it off just before we come into him

Normally I get him up and DH does his breakfast but yesterday morning I had a lie in. He looked rosy and felt warm (always does first thing) so DH took his temperature. It was 37.7 in one ear and 37.8 in the other.

He took it again 45 minutes later as he felt a lot cooler and he was 37.3 and 37.4

DH thinks we have to self isolate and get tests now. I think it’s just normal for DS to be warmer in the morning as he’s been in a warm room (we have a hot house) covered in his blanket.

I did it this morning as soon as I took him out of his cot just to check and similar happened - 37.7 and 37.6 first thing that came straight down once he was out of blankets. He’s a warm kid anyway so runs warm and has no other symptoms.

Yesterday DH took his temperature frequently throughout the day even though he didn’t feel hot to touch and at once stage it got to 38 very briefly after he had been running around in the heat outside. I think if you take a temperature that often you’re going to see fluctuations, especially after activity. As soon as he sat down and had a drink inside it went back to normal.

You dont have to be more worried OP. Its fine to get him tested "just in case" and not be worried at all. Given how anxious your dh is, it is good that you are calm.

Thank you @barbarianmum I've said to him if the test comes back negative and he's still concerned about fever I'll contact our lovely GP who is always happy to take a call no matter how small the concern when it relates to DS so I'm hoping he calms down now

Temperatures absolutely can peak and wane on their own due to an illness. They body has its own defences for this and doesn't always need a dose of calpol. If your child has a temperature every morning but isn't ill then I'd do something about that - ventilation or changing bedding. Running around makes you hot and sweaty but shouldn't cause a fever of 38c

He’s now freaking out and googling because that one is lower than the ear one. Send help. We are getting a test but he wants to call 111

Under arm ones aren't as accurate and always read a degree or 2 cooler although your dh will have discovered that as it's easy to find on google. Is he always this anxious? A mild fever die to the body fighting a cold etc (or obviously covid in some cases) is exactly what is supposed to happen

Dh can have random high temperatures so school and us, if it 37.8 do a repeat 30 min later and if it is still above 37.5, he self isolates. He has known poor temperature regulation and had atypical febrile convulsions until he was about 8 because of it.

Symptoms don't stop LFTs working, but because they are less accurate they shouldn't be used to rule out covid - you need a PCR for that.

The benefit of LFTs is to pick up cases that might otherwise be missed (i.e. asymptomatic). They won't get all, but finding some is better than nothing.