Would you send reception child to school today ? Illness related

[savetheday]

My threshold for illness and sending my child to nursery has always been very low. So any slight issue, I tend to keep her home.

She's started school now and her brother has had a fever for a few days. She woke up today and I took her temperature at 38. I told her she may not be able to go to school today and she was distraught because she's going to miss her friends, bless her.

Anyway, she's downstairs now and the temp seems to have come down on its own at around 37.4, some times 37.7.

In my opinion, she should not go in today.

What would you do ?

As I said, my usual threshold is low but I understand that now she's at school - she'll sometimes need to go in even with a sore throat or something but I draw the line at waking up with a fever ? To me that means she's not well and coming down with something.

She says she doesn't have pain anywhere.

I just wish parents would err on the side of caution sending their unwell children in to school.

It isn’t the job of schools to nurse under the weather children.

The parents who do this are also normally the first to keep the children off for cheaper airfares etc as well. It’s all about what suits them.

But her child is absolutely fine. I agree it's selfish to send them in when unwell, but the temp was normal range when taken out of bed without any medication such as paracetamol which would have lowered it and she's perfectly well in herself.

it's true, they don't always give the same reading (usually because I haven't pulled their ear down correctly I think) but my hand is pretty good thermometer, I've rarely thought 'fever' from a hand on his forehead and checked and the thermometer said he was fine.

op's son has been ill since last week with fevers, her daugher sounded unwell this morning and said her skin felt hot. She felt hot to the touch and the thermometer read 38. after getting up, in presumably a cool house in pyjamas, she was still reading as 37,7 which is still higher than normal. It's very likely she's spreading the virus her brother has and her temperature will go back up at school.

We were told during covid to take temperature every day before sending DC to school.
DS is always warm, he wears tshirt and shorts and bare feet all year round, even now he's a teen he wears significantly fewer layers than everyone else in the house.
I found it really stressful.as almost every day his temp was wavering around the "keep them off school" level (I think it was 37.7°) ....but he clearly wasn't ill every day! I'd usually do 3 readings of the forehead thermometer and take an average.

Her daughter didn't sound unwell. And we don't know whether the OP's son is actually ill or whether he just has a bit of a cough.

didn't sound unwell apart from having a fever.
and the son has a cough and a fever.

A fever is the immune system finding an infection and trying to kill it with fire. While immune systems are busy like that the body needs rest. Until the infection is gone the child is likely to be passing it on.

Why wouldn't you send her in

She feels fine. Wants to go

Has slight temp but possibly as just out of bed /woken

Give nurofen as I find that's better on temp

Most schools say send in unless had s&d - obvious spots - or a hot temp and feeling unwell

Glad you sent her but saying you don't know If have time to get her to school while typing on mn seems a bit strange 😂

If she has too many days off and % attendance is low then school will contact you

We have to give a reason to school why is off. If we had emailed what you said - school would have said bring in

So glad you did

@longapple yes, didn't sound unwell apart from having a slightly elevated temperature briefly. And the son has on and off fevers (which if they're like the OP has described could also be occasional slightly elevated temps depending on time of day) and a "bit of a cough".

My son is 2 years old and has been pretty unwell since Thursday. He's had fevers of up to 39.8 on and off, as well as a bit of a cough and last night he also vomited.

He's not a happy bunny.

I think a lot of posters have been really nasty about this. There's ways to state your opinion, rather than being outright nasty and basically implying I don't know what I'm talking about at all when it comes to health.

For what it's worth, another mum took my DD from me in the car park to accompany her down to her classroom ( she volunteered ) we do that for each other sometimes and she told me she felt my DD felt warm. With no prompting from me or anything.

I'm sure my DD will be fine and I know I need to raise my standards for sending her in when she's unwell now she's at school. That's why I posted on here and I'm glad I sent her and hope she has a fun day today but I'm not a complete idiot for considering leaving her home, first thing this morning as things stood. As time went on, I made the choice to send her as she seemed ok.

I'll update and let everyone know if she does become ill today. I'm able to get her if that happens.

Send her in. If she feels unwell she can let the teacher know and they'll send her home.

Education is so important OP.

@savetheday I'm assuming you're not suggesting I've been 'downright nasty' because I haven't.

People with different opinions when you ask for opinions aren't being nasty! Reality is especially through winter children are often under the weather, of course don't send them if proper poorly or super contagious, but keeping them off when they're actually fine you'll soon be triggering the absence procedure which without a decent reason isn't good- also bad for your DD to miss school just in case.

You are going to get a hefty fine if you carry on like this

There are ways to respectfully disagree with someone and some posts on here are just shaming me instead of respectfully disagreeing.

Honestly listen to your gut. You know your child.
I never changed my standards for sending mine in. I tell them the reason when I call in sick and I keep a record of it. At the end of the year if they say he's been off too many times I'll present them with a list of the reasons and ask which of d&v, fever etc I should have ignored and sent him in to share.

Also those saying they've never used a thermometer... I went through a phase of just using my hand to judge it and the child's behaviour and several doctors told me off.

One even said ' why are you not taking your child's temperature ! I need to know what it has been like '.

So now I use a thermometer. It's not that weird.

You're unusual for never using one. Most parents use one.

Fines are for unauthorised absence. If you follow the sickness procedure (usually call on the day before a certain time with a reason) it will be authorised. If you're taking the piss and saying they're poorly every friday because you want a duvet day they might start asking for evidence before authorising.

If in doubt, I send in but am prepared for a phone call.

Kids' temperatures can increase and normalise a lot when they're fighting off I cold. I've found.

I don't know what your children's school is like but our come down on us like a tonne of bricks on absences. It's not acceptable to keep your child off school for every sniffle.

If you are calling in sick every time your child has a high temperature which could easily just be because they've just come out of bed and have been wrapped in blankets the school will quickly think you are taking the piss

Christ. Your child's absense % is going to be appalling if you keep them off for every minor sniffle! She sounds fine.

I didn't have one single day off as a child myself in school. You're not teaching your child any resilience at all although to be fair, she sounds more sensible than you insisting she wants to go!

I don't know yet. She went to the nursery and they never complained when I kept her off. The nursery is part of the school.

But the school will be stricter I am sure.

And I do recognise I need to raise my standard for sending her in sick. That's why I posted because I know I have a tendency to be overly cautious.

That's ok. Some of us are. I am glad I posted and have totally taken it onboard. I will send her unless she's really quite unwell in herself or has D and V.

Definitely will send her when she has colds ( like I have done ).

I had days off school when I had a fever, what's wrong with that ?

I also don't go into work when I have a fever. I am resilient. So is she, thanks very much. There's a lot more to resilience than going to work or school when you have a fever.

If your child is that sick, I'd be questioning your parenting and why you haven't had him investigated! No child is that sick. Poor nutrition would be causing s&D on multiple occasions. Needs better nutrition, fresh air and exposure to germs to build resilience to diseases.

Honestly. Fever you can SEE without a thermometer. I don't even own one but I do know the 3 occasions my children have been desperately ill. You're being dramatic. No child has that many fevers. If they do, you're doing something wrong!

You're going to be getting fined if you carry on through school.