What's the current guidance on what counts as a fever?

[bathsh3ba]

DD13 feels fine but has a weird body thermostat sometimes, she once had an unexplained low grade fever for weeks we never did get to the bottom of.

Anyway last night she felt warm, I took temp and it was 37.7. This morning it was 36.5. Took it just again and it was 37.8 then 37.5 ten minutes later.

Is this high enough to be worried about? I have variously read a fever can be 37.5, 37.8, 38 or 38.3! She has been sat by a radiator under a throw hugging a cushion (she always feels cold whatever her body temp is), could that push her temperature up by that much?

Normally I wouldn't be too worried but she is meant to stay with my parents (in our support bubble) for childcare for a few nights from Tuesday.

I think covid is 37.8 for a fever.

Got my DS tested this week for temp of 37.5, was negative but his temp normally 36.5 ish so I tested

My DB is a nurse and if you're feeling unwell and your temp is over 37.8 you are sent home and off for a test. He actually has COVID at the minute and that was because he had a headache on Monday, checked temp at work and it was 37.8 so had to go home.

Here (not uk) 37.5 or above and you legally are obliged to see a GP.

I'm a teacher and the temperature we send them home and tell them to get a test is 37.8

Hmm so it's been under that all apart from one time when it was just 37.8. I hate having to make judgement calls like this!

Book a test. You might be able to get one same day, or at least tomorrow. Locally results have been back within 24 hours recently.

Yep plenty of testing capacity at the moment I wouldn't hesitate to go for a test tbh

@bathsh3ba

Hmm so it's been under that all apart from one time when it was just 37.8. I hate having to make judgement calls like this!

The point is, she's had a fever .... book a test OP! Especially as you need to know for childcare.

If she's had a temp of 37.8 you should isolate and book a test. Hope she feels better soon.

There's no judgement call to make- the cut off is 37.8. Please don't send her to your parents until she's been tested.

My DS has an immune condition that gives him frequent low grade fevers. If we tested every time he’d be having tests weekly or sometimes twice a week. Instead we pretty much isolate constantly as we would have to be isolating waiting for test results constantly anyway so I don’t put him through the test (he has sensory processing disorder and gets very distressed with anything up his nose). I’m sure I’ll get flamed for this but it’s unlikely he has had covid 50-100 times since last March and much more likely it’s his long term health condition.

You say your daughter has a weird thermostat? If she has frequent fevers it may be worth getting a FBC done to check her immune system.

I can't get a test anywhere I'm willing to drive to today (all 25 miles or more) but will try to get a closer one in the morning. It's frustrating as she only registered a slight fever very briefly but I guess I will worry if I don't.

@ACupOfTeaSolvesEverything I did try to get her a blood test when she had a month long low grade fever in March but they just prescribed antibiotics. She is needle phobic so it would be very hard to persuade her. Since then a fever hasn't recurred till now, but her body temperature is generally higher than ours and she always feels cold.