At what temp do you have a fever?

[luvwinnie]

I think it's an individual thing. I can tell you when I hit 99.2 I am SICK. Chills and aches, etc.

 

[flying_babyb]

I guess I'm confused If a child is running and playing how on earth would you know whether their temperature is 99.5? Do people randomly take their children's temperatures when they have no symptoms?

If my child is sick enough for me to think that taking his temp is a good idea he's too sick for school.

If a child is running and playing sometimes teachers may notice there warm when they step close or are playing with them. Last week we had a kid who was 99.1 and we figured it out because a teacher was building a sand castle and thought the child looked warmer than usual.

 

[Octoberbride03]

According to the Red Cross i always have a fever. I regularly run above 99.5. So a thermometer is really not a good tool for me. So I base it on how I feel. If i feel icky and start crying then i usually have a fever.

Its too bad that the RC uses basic temp to define sickness as I no longer give blood because of that 1 rule. They just kept throwing me out even when I tell them 99.6 is pretty normal for me. Oh well, their loss.

I am curious though...is the school nurse taking temps of students every day? Or did your child feel a bit off? I know they're all panicking about the flu but it just seems like a waste of time to me.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If a child is running and playing sometimes teachers may notice there warm when they step close or are playing with them. Last week we had a kid who was 99.1 and we figured it out because a teacher was building a sand castle and thought the child looked warmer than usual.

But 99.1 (I assume orally) is within the normal range for lots of people, especially for young children who are running and engaging in activities that heat them up, and who may not hold a thermometer in their mouth as "perfectly" as an adult (e.g suck on it and heat it up a little).

I think that a temperature under 100 in an asymptomatic child (and "looking warm" or feeling warm are not symptoms) is not reason to go home. I do think that a temp in the 99's might be corroborating evidence if you're trying to decide whether a young child who is lethargic or super cranky is sick, or whether an older child claiming to feel unwell is faking it or not, but a temp in the 99's is not enough to go by in itself.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I'd say 37 is roughly normal. 38 is low grade fever and may indicate sickness or not. 39 is definitely sick. 40 is definitely time to see the doctor and/or start soaking in a lukewarm tub.

I have no idea what the rules are in our school.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Our school policy is they will be sent home for anything 99 or higher and if they are very sick or have 100 or higher in the clinic they must stay home for the next 24 hours.

I do consider 99.5 a fever and would keep my kids home because they aren't going to feel hot and are going to go to the clinic and be sent home anyway.

Sometimes they are fine with a 99 fever and other times not. I assume there was something bothering her or she wouldn't have been sent to the clinic in the first place.

 

[bumbershoot]

Our school policy is they will be sent home for anything 99 or higher

But 99 is the norm now.

98.6 hasn't been used in YEARS, and .4 is hardly anything. Sending kids home at 99, which is the norm, is ridiculous of that school.



laurie31, I'm with you. I actually even like fever; it's a sign that the body is actively working on things, it's cleaning house and battling the invaders.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I think they don't actually take a temp though unless they are pretty sure there is something else going on. Like if a kid comes into the clinic with a headache or bellyache but looks fine or the nurse knows the child as a frequent flyer, they won't take a temp.

Kid she never sees in the clinic doesn't look good, she takes a temp and if it's 99 it helps her determine they are probably coming down with something.

But we are a very small school and the nurse knows all the kids personally. My son is on the frequent flyer list this year but she knows he hasn't been seen at all last year so we are trying to figure out if he's faking or something else is going on. She only takes his temp if I ask her to before I pick him up.

 

[laurie31]

But 99 is the norm now.

98.6 hasn't been used in YEARS, and .4 is hardly anything. Sending kids home at 99, which is the norm, is ridiculous of that school.



laurie31, I'm with you. I actually even like fever; it's a sign that the body is actively working on things, it's cleaning house and battling the invaders.

Yeah, fever is a good thing if you're sick. You can actually prolong an illness by keeping the temp too low; the body is trying to kill the bacteria/viruses and you're deactivating one of its prime weapons.

I don't treat a fever unless it's over 102.5, unless they are miserable. Then I'm actually giving Tylenol for discomfort, not fever.

I'd never have stayed in school a day in my life if I get sent home for a 99, as my temp is never that low! LOL!

 

[AllyandJack]

For some reason, I'm always 99.2 and always have been. That's my normal.

At my high school, you could have a 103 degree temp and the nurse would tell you to lay on the couch and get your butt back to class with the next bell. You had to be bleeding out of your eyes to get this woman to send you home.

I wish I went to the schools who sent you home with 99....I'd have had a free pass home every day, whenever I wanted it.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I can't find an exact number in our school handbook at all (just the 24 hours after a fever part) - but my neighbor runs a daycare, and there it's either 100° or 100.5° that they must be picked up.

 

[LaraK]

100.4

 

[disfan07]

At the preschool, sometimes we notice a child is warm even if they're not complaining because they are always on top of you. Sitting on your lap, wanting to be picked up, etc.
Most of the time, anytime we would take a childs temp. if they weren' complaining about not feeling good was because we would notice that they felt warm while sitting in our laps or when we picked them up. We didn't randomly check it was more of....if we notice that they feel warmer than usual you just check to be on the safe side.