So my little guy - 4 years old - developed a fever in the middle of the night. Still had it this morning - about 100.6. He was whiny and lethargic till about 10:30am, then started to perk up. I had given him tylenol (8am) for the fever, but not since then. He still has a low grade fever - like 99.6, but is a lot more like himself.
He's playing with dad now and has been much more active since late morning.
Question is, daycare tomorrow - 24 hours without fever - do they mean over 100 or any fever? I don't want to be reckless mom, but at the same time, staying home from work and keeping him home when he's back to normal is it's own kind of exhausting.
How do you handle these mini-fever situations? He's hardly ever actually sick, so I always feel a little clueless. Thanks!
Thanks, mamas. I actually have a flexible schedule, so I can keep him out for the full 24. He's been tylenol free since this morning. I know a fever's fighting off whatever it is and I'd rather let his body cook the germs if the fever isn't too high. So far, so good. We'll see how the next 16 hours go and if he spikes, we'll start the clock over. Thank you!
24 hrs fever free without medicine. So if he had a fever this morning and needed Tylenol for it to come down them no he cannot go tomorrow because he would not have been fever free for 24 hrs. I wish more parents followed the rules maybe my kids wouldn't get sick as often.
For you to bring your child to school or preschool or a licensed daycare, your child must be free of fevers of 100.5* and higher for at least 24 hours. So if your child is sick during the night with 100.6* but is 99.6* in the morning, you are obligated to keep him home until he's been fever free for a full 24 hours. You should keep him home tomorrow (Wednesday).
The problem is that fevers are a sign that the body is sick. Very often it's caused by a virus. You don't know if whatever he's fighting will get more serious if he's not home, and you don't know if it's contagious. And if you bring him to daycare and get other children sick then you're going to have an army of pissed off parents over the inconsiderate behavior of bringing a sick child to school/daycare.
***When I say "fever free for 24 hours" I mean "fever free without the aid of ibuprofen or acetaminophen." And 100* or lower but personally as soon as my kids hit 100* I keep them home. I don't quibble over 1/2 of a degree.
Personally, I would take him into daycare, especially if he seems ok & isn't showing any signs of illness.
Fevers aren't ALWAYS indicative of illness. Now sure how old your little one is, but it could be teething or just running hot. Normal temp is around 98.6, so 99.6 is low grade.
Not everyone can miss work because of a fever that never turns into anything. You can't stay home from work for a week due to a common cold, etc. It's unavoidable that kids will get sick in daycare.
it's fever-free (and tylenolfree) for 24 hours...keep him home...he's fightin' something (viral or bacterial)...And, frankly, being the parent of an asthmatic child, it agggravates me to no end when parents send their sick children into school/daycare/scouts/wherever and then my kid gets 100 times worse becaus e it exaccerbates his asthma and then he's out for twice as long and winds up on prednisone and more nebulizer treatments...but enough with the guilt trip.....Good luck...I hope he feels better
I'm a preschool teacher and a mom (who works...) so I'll give you my perspective.
If he's been fever-free, below 100 (and that gives wiggle room for warmer temps, because some kids do normally run hot, but not *that* hot) for 24 hours, that's a definite "go back to school". In situations like this, I schedule sick care for my son in advance with our caregiver, so that if he can't go to his preschool, I can work. That said, from what you have described, if he's fever free and symptom-free since this morning, I'd probably take him in. If there are no symptoms (runny nose, vomitting, diarrhea, coughing, rash, etc.) chances are he's past being contagious.
Just be sure to take his temp about an hour after he wakes before taking him to school. Be sure he has a good night's sleep, too. As a teacher, I can see how much work school is for our little ones even on their healthy days. And once again, if you can, schedule the sick care (I know this isn't an option for everyone.), so you have some choices.... you might decide a caregiver is preferable to sending him. I've done that on more than one occasion. And it costs less than losing a day of work!
My policy is fever over 101 counts as too high for daycare and not back for 24 hours from the last incident of fever. However, it's also my policy that kids must be well enough to play. I'd watch him for the rest of the day and see how he does. Since fever is an indicator of something else, it may come back in which case I would not send him to daycare tomorrow...
Good luck~
Usually, anything 100 degrees or over.
Now, you need to understand, that Tylenol or Motrin, only reduces the fever. NOT get rid of it nor the illness.
If the child is still sick, the fever can/may return.
He is now acting normally, because you gave him Tylenol.
Many parents, give Tylenol if their kid is sick or has a fever, to then take them to school/daycare.
But, it is only a superficial temporary, reduction of the fever. AND it did not get rid, of the illness.
He, has not been without a fever... naturally.
Only because you gave him the Tylenol.
It 'masks' the fever.
Our daycare states 24 hours after fevers over 100.5 have broken. They consider anything under 100.5 AOK to bring to school, regardless. BUT, they do not consider a fever lowered with Tylenol as having broken...you cannot count his tylenol reduced 99.6 as being AOK. My son though had an odd account last Wednesday- 102.7 fever for 5 hours -- yes, just 5 hours...and then broke. I did send him to school on Thursday because he was sick for all of 5 hours and he was not in any way whiny or lethargic on Thursday (otherwise I would have kept him home). Kids aren't supposed to go to daycare/preK if they can't "actively participate" in the activities or need extra special attention.
