Toddler sent home because he's 'hot to touch' even though doesn't have temperature

[user15362829]

Have just been asked to pick up toddler from daycare because even though they checked his temperature and he doesn't have fever, he's 'hot to touch' and has to go home and have a covid test and can't come back until he's had a covid test.
Last time I had to do the same and he hated having the test done - they really stick it up their nose and he's 2 years old!!
How is anyone supposed to get back to work if they have to constantly disrupt work and go pick up kid cos they're 'hot to touch'!

I'm just annoyed because I've got an important work meeting tomorrow and now he can't go to daycare until next week!

btw he's been absolutely fine at home and he was hot because he was wearing a thick jumper and wouldn't let them take it off.

Ffs if they tested his temperature and it was ok then why should he need a covid test? Maybe they had cold hands and that's why he felt warmer

No, that is completely unacceptable. I'd ask to see the written policy that says this, and public health guidance that says this.

Surely he's not eligible for the test as he doesn't have any symptoms?

I would be more worried the staff member with cold hands was unwell. What if he'd just been running around!? Did you speak to a manager about this? In so far as its possible to formally complain, I think you need to do that immediately. I would have refused to pick up.

Oh good grief, now so have heard everything!

NHS advice does say to test if you have..."a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)"

Most people would take that to mean that if you measures temperature and it wasn't raised you'd be OK. But I can see how it could be interpreted the way they are.

Ridiculous

I'd ask to see the written policy that says this, and public health guidance that says this

This is good advice

yes apparently it is govt guidelines - we've also just checked. But it seems nuts! I mean he was wearing a thick jumper and she even said he wouldn't let her take it off, so that's likely why he felt hot.

No, that is completely unacceptable. I'd ask to see the written policy that says this, and public health guidance that says this.

It’s rubbish and the nursery should use much more common sense, but it is in the guidance.

Early years action for covid 19

yeh - she said he'll have to self isolate for 10 days if he doesn't take a covid test.

Phone the nhs Covid line and ask for advice.

Our toddler has had what seems to be a never ending run of colds and other nursery bugs for the last 6 months. Unfortunately, she tends to have light fevers with them, so she has been sent home 4 times over that time period, not to mention when all the children had to isolate because someone who was in that day tested positive later in the evening.

I cannot work from home, I'm not even likely to be within 100 miles of home whilst working. Fortunately my partner can. It's all a big pain in the arse, especially as none of us in the household have had covid yet thankfully, but I can also understand it from the nurseries perspective. If they kept another child in with a fever who then later tested positive, I'd be livid.

The worst thing about it, to me at least, is nursery doesn't come cheap. We don't get money knocked off for not being able to attend due to government Covid rules. We did get the two weeks she had to isolate refunded at least, as that was deemed to be the nurseries fault.

Do you have the text confirming a negative result from the last test? Crop it so it doesn’t show the date and use that as proof .

@DownWhichOfLate lol, that is very tempting :)

@FrothyB yes I know what you mean and now that I've cooled down a bit I do understand that they're just following guidance but it still seems nonsensical to send a child home who doesn't have a fever but is hot to touch (most probably because he's wearing a thick jumper indoors and won't take it off!). It's just come at a bad time because I have an important work meeting tomorrow that I've been prepping for for weeks and really didn't need this disruption.

Anyhow, we asked them if an at-home lateral flow test is sufficient and thank goodness they said that's okay. Last time, I had to take him to a test centre and get a PCR one done there (it's really not pleasant for a 2 yr old, his eyes were watering from the swab and he wasn't happy) and then wait 24 hours for the results.

I thought my kids school was being overzealous (have to keep kids with non Covid cough off until the cough is gone ) but this isn't good.

This level of insanity is why people are cheating the rules. It’s ridiculous

Our nursery did the same, she was completely fine and temperature was normal . I just lied and said she’d had a negative test and took her back in for the next session, no way she’s going to let me stick a swab up her nose and I’m not isolating for 10 days for no reason.

That's what the guidance states, you can check it out in the link below.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/main-symptoms/
Absolutely unacceptablev to do a at home test. They are for people who do not have symptoms. You and your daycare are putting others at risk.

Crikey, if I had to take 10 days off everytime I got too warm... being too warm is not the same as running a fever. That's bonkers.

You don't have to take ten days off. You do have to go and be tested though.

@FrothyB Please don't send your child to Nursery when they are ill. That's how bugs are spread. It's good that they send your child home.

I agree with the nursery on this, hot to touch is the advice. Sorry, I am not trying to be a PITA but I think they are just trying to do the right thing.

He’s not ill @supernooodle - he’s just a bit hot from wearing a jumper.

OP, I think it’s ridiculous. I’d be fuming. Our nursery has a policy where if a child seems warm, they are assessed. Have they been running around, have they been in the sun, are they wearing a jumper on a warm day etc etc.. if the above has happened, said child has their temp checked & sent with an adult to sit quietly for 10/15 minutes, jumper taken off etc. They are re-checked and their temp done again. If still warm or they have a temp after a calm 15 mins or so, parents will be called.

If I didn’t send my child to nursery with a runny nose & minor cold, they’d never be in nursery. Every child in the baby room is a snot machine, mine is no different. I’d literally lose my job as I’d be having time off every other week!

@NotBot I was referring to the comment of child being ill with cold, running a minor temperature. The child's body is trying to fight something off... others may be much worse with that same bug. It's just very selfish when parents send their child in ill and spread germs like that.

I'd be hugely surprised if the hot to the touch advice was meant to be for people without thermometers. Those with can take an actual temperature and then disregard the subjective hot to the touch with more objective evidence.