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Original poster

Child sent home from school but is fine

25 replies

Lily27 · 25/06/2021 11:10

It's happened a few times that my reception year DS has been sent home from school with a raised temperature but both our devices at home show him with a normal temp. Today we got a call from school saying he has a high fever, breathing not ok, glazed eyes etc. We picked him up and he has no temp at home, he's furious at being sent back and we are going to have to come up with activities all day to keep him occupied. Just not sure how to handle it with the school, as it's happened a few times before. He really is well and active. Any ideas on how to handle this one?

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 25/06/2021 11:15

Thermometers can have different readings.
I've taken DC to the doctors when unwell. The thermometer at the hospital was reading higher than my 2 at home.

I'd be more concerned about the breathing and glazed eyes. What was he doing when these things happened?

The whole package seems a bit unusual to send a child home several times over the year with the same thing and it to all be fictitious.

UserAtRandom · 25/06/2021 11:16

If he's perfectly fine then send him back and say "his temperature seems to be normal now, maybe he was running round a lot/sitting in the sun/your thermometer is faulty"

ZZGirl · 25/06/2021 11:18

As someone who works in a school, we have to be cautious, thermometers do vary but we're just following rules and policy. Do lateral flow tests.

SquishySquirmy · 25/06/2021 11:20

"He's furious at being sent back"

  • back home, or back to school?
Because if he wants to be at home rather than at school, that may be your answer... he may have learnt what to say/how to act to get sent home! In which case, I would first speak to him to rule out any issue that may be making him feel unhappy at school. However if he just prefers having fun at home, then make home less fun. Instead of activities to keep him occupied, make him understand he needs to do school work from home. Maths sheets, reading etc - the kind of things he would do at school but without the fun of having other kids to chat to.
Fitforforty · 25/06/2021 11:21

@ZZGirl

As someone who works in a school, we have to be cautious, thermometers do vary but we're just following rules and policy. Do lateral flow tests.
If he has had a temperature then he need a PCR test.
Original poster
Lily27 · 25/06/2021 11:22

@Lolasmiles I don't understand the bit about breathing and glazed eyes either. we brought him home and he's fine. I'm booking soft play now and will take him out to a cafe later. it just makes no sense that he was sent home

@ZZgirl I'll do a lateral flow test but it's just that this has happened a few times before. The school seems to quick to send him home but of course it is protocol once they detect a temperature. i'm seriously thinking of buying new thermometers for the school

OP posts:
ZZGirl · 25/06/2021 11:23

[quote Lily27]@Lolasmiles I don't understand the bit about breathing and glazed eyes either. we brought him home and he's fine. I'm booking soft play now and will take him out to a cafe later. it just makes no sense that he was sent home

@ZZgirl I'll do a lateral flow test but it's just that this has happened a few times before. The school seems to quick to send him home but of course it is protocol once they detect a temperature. i'm seriously thinking of buying new thermometers for the school[/quote]
Perhaps take your thermometer with you if you're asked to collect again?

Original poster
Lily27 · 25/06/2021 11:23

SquishySquirmy - i should have clarified, he's furious at being sent home. he really wanted to stay at school.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lily27 · 25/06/2021 11:24

Good idea, ZZgirl.

OP posts:
SquishySquirmy · 25/06/2021 11:24

"Raised temperatures" can be diagnosed without a thermometer. Eg feeling unwell, shivery, sweaty etc. Would be good to confirm with school what they mean by raised temperature, how they take it and what the reading is.

ZZGirl · 25/06/2021 11:25

BTW in response to the poster who commented about PCR tests, I mean do them once or twice a week anyway. I'm aware that symptoms require a PCR

Original poster
Lily27 · 25/06/2021 11:25

they said its 37.5 so tit would have been a thermometer reading. at home both devices are 36.3, so normal

OP posts:
SquishySquirmy · 25/06/2021 11:26

Oh sorry I misunderstood!
Ignore completely what my first post said Grin and have fun at soft play.

Smurf123 · 25/06/2021 11:29

School can't accept him back with a lateral Flow test it has to be pcr so better to book it rather than test him twice.
We have sent kids home with a temp to be told their temp is fine at home they still need a test. (We double check with 2 thermometers and several temp checks) likewise my own son has been sent home with a temp that's fine at home but he needed the test. It's unfortunate but it is the world we currently live in. Either get him a pcr test or isolate whole household for 10 days. Schools are trying to follow the guidelines like everyone else.

Smurf123 · 25/06/2021 11:32

Although 37.5 isn't that high fever! The guidelines has now been changed to hour to touch (helpful..not!) but since before that and the guidance we have in school from public health is temperature 37.8 or above.

Smurf123 · 25/06/2021 11:32

Hot (not hour) to touch sorry

Whatever9999 · 25/06/2021 11:33

@Lily27

they said its 37.5 so tit would have been a thermometer reading. at home both devices are 36.3, so normal
37.5 isn't a "temperature", maybe bring that up with them, pretty sure the government site says 37.8
bigbluebus · 25/06/2021 11:34

I didn't think 37.5 was classed as a fever anyway. A quick Google says 37.8 and above. ( I don't have a school age child so don't know what guidance schools are working to)

MarjorieBouvier · 25/06/2021 11:38

A temperature is over 37.5 not 37.5 and over. Quick Google brings up various NHS sites that confirm. Go back to the school with the NHS Web page ready and loaded to show them.

MarjorieBouvier · 25/06/2021 11:40

A fever is over 38, but covid test rules count it as 37.8 and over. Fever and temperature are not necessarily the same (Although quite often are).

Keepingitreal14 · 25/06/2021 11:48

I don't think thermometers are all that reliable, I checked my DDs at home it was fine, we went to the GP (she was clearly poorly) they checked us both at the door (the ones pointed at forehead), said it was fine and let us in. GP checked it using at in ear one and got 38.2, she had a severe ear infection.

School don't send kids home for no reason, they must suspect he is ill.

MissDollyMix · 25/06/2021 11:52

Genuine question, Why all this talk of doing a LFT on a young child? It clearly states on the packaging that they’re not to be used on primary school children. I would think either he does have symptoms = pcr or, he doesn’t= should be at school. Must be very frustrating that his symptoms at school are inconsistent with his (lack of) symptoms at home.

Original poster
Lily27 · 25/06/2021 12:29

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. He's off to the playground now, and appears well in himself. I'll bring it up with the school next week and see what they say. He doesn't have any Covid symptoms.

OP posts:
SandyStarfish · 25/06/2021 12:30

My son gets an ear temperarure of 38.1 when playing Fifa on the Xbox because he gets excited/ worked up. He also gets a temp from running about playing football. Soon goes down again in both scenarios.

Ostara212 · 25/06/2021 12:32

Glazed eyes at school means boredom or tiredness surely?

Breathing "not right " - report by someone paranoid?

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