Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Fever formula

I get a call from daycare yesterday afternoon that Eric is running a fever of 100.9. They know we will be there soon (it was 4:30), but just wanted to let me know. The way the woman said "we're just letting you know" made me question if this was a fever we just needed to keep an eye on or if this was a your child must stay home thing. I asked, and was told he needed to stay at home. I asked what the fever cutoff was and she seemed confused by this question. ?? I'm not doubting that 100.9 is indeed a fever, but I swear every time I ask this question, I get a different answer. Sometimes it's 100, sometimes it's 101, sometimes it depends on how they have taken the temperature (although they always seem to take it under the arm). She tells me 100.5, which is a brand new number, and then says she's going to check and call me back. After hanging up the phone, I went to the ladies room and pulled a gray hair which I'm pretty sure showed up as a result of the conversation.

Sidebar: I really do love our daycare, and most of the people there are the absolute greatest. This just happens to be one of those weeks where things are not going as they should, and that's going to happen anywhere.

So here's their policy, which is about clear as mud. If a child is running a fever above 100, they must stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours. But they're changing that policy, because 100 seems a little low when you consider things like teething, so 100.5 is going to be the new policy. But they add a degree when they take a child's temperature (since they do it under the arm), so, in reality, if the thermometer registers 99.5 or above more than once (they check it a couple of times over the course of an hour), then it is considered a fever and the 24 hour rule kicks in.

Good grief.

Eric's temperature spiked a little last night, but is fever-free this morning and spending the day at home with daddy until after my 1:00 meeting.

5 comments:

  1. Maryland Rules are similar - 100.4 means stay home and must be fever free for 24 hours. And I believe the rule is the lower you go on the body for the temp the less you add.. ie if in the ear add 1 degree, if under the arm add .5 but I guess everyone is different there as well. Oh yeah, in the hiney - don't add anything :)

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  2. Tommy had a fever one day - they called to let me know but they already knew he had gotten shots the day before, so he was allowed to stay. STRANGE. Have you ever just wanted to pump your kid full of tylenol and send them anyway?

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  3. Oh - and I really do LOVE this daycare. But sometimes I think there are too many "cooks in the kitchen" there!

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  4. 1. I do not do hiney temps..if I'm not feeling well, the last thing I want is someone poking me in the bum.

    2. After getting shots, our daycare almost encourages us to give Tylenol so they won't run a fever and be sent home. I have no comment past that ;-)

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  5. I don't do hiney temps, either....I am big fan of armpits temps.

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