Daycare Keeps Inflating DD's Temperature

[Unregistered]

Over the past couple of months, DD has been sent home three times with a "fever" which is always between 101-103. But when we pick her up, she isn't warm to the touch, and when we get her home, she's never over 99. This time, we even took her to the doctor and they measured 98.4. Getting really frustrated with these exclusions that aren't based on actual fact. What gives?

[Denali]

Is she ever given anything to help her feel better before you take her temp at home? Does anything, anything at all, go in her mouth before her temp is taken?

Where is the daycare taking her temp vs where you are? Under arm or mouth? Forehead ? And what kind of thermometer is the daycare using vs you?

Anytime I’ve even had a temp discrepancy between home and daycare it was because Tylenol or ibuprofen or some kind of ‘make you feel better’ thing was used, temperature was just checked by feeling the forehead (no thermometer being used), child was given something cold to eat/drink right before temp was taken, or the like....

Not that is what’s happening, but...

[hwichlaz]

ask to take her temp again at pick up

[Unregistered]

Nice try, but believe it or not, some parents are actually honest. I am a scientist, and integrity of data is paramount to me. No NSAIDs, nothing to artificially depress temperature. I take my own temperature as a control. We use a temporal thermometer, daycare uses axillary. Should be roughly the same, but regardless, not enough to explain 98 vs. 101.

What I'm talking about is: I get a phone call about the fever, pick DD up within 15-20 min, already not warm to the touch. Get home 10 min later, no fever. Doctors office, no fever. Repeatedly.

Is she ever given anything to help her feel better before you take her temp at home? Does anything, anything at all, go in her mouth before her temp is taken?

Where is the daycare taking her temp vs where you are? Under arm or mouth? Forehead ? And what kind of thermometer is the daycare using vs you?

Anytime I’ve even had a temp discrepancy between home and daycare it was because Tylenol or ibuprofen or some kind of ‘make you feel better’ thing was used, temperature was just checked by feeling the forehead (no thermometer being used), child was given something cold to eat/drink right before temp was taken, or the like....

Not that is what’s happening, but...

[storybookending]

I would bring my thermometer the next time she is called for pick up. Take it with yours the second you walk in the door and also ask the daycare to show you how they take her temperature.

[Unregistered]

That's the plan from now on. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but.....

Just to be clear, I have no problem taking her home if she needs to go home. Sick kids don't belong in daycare. My issue is with being told something that isn't true.

ask to take her temp again at pick up

[sahm1225]

Can you ask them to show you the temperature or take it in front of you? I don’t see why they would lie. Specially since it’s something you can instantly disprove.

And you’d be amazed how many people don’t think about itbehen they say their child doesn’t have a fever but they gave them a fever reducer medicine. Which is why most schools and daycares have to specifically say that child has to be fever free without the use of a fever reducer for 24 hours.

[Unregistered]

Absolutely, from now on I'm getting them to repeat the reading in front of me until either my readings start squaring with theirs, or I understand why they don't.

And once again, we haven't given her ANY meds whatsoever, at all. In weeks! Nothing, nada, zero. It's the kind of thing I'd remember doing, because getting any med to go in her mouth is a battle of epic proportions.

[sahm1225]

Absolutely, from now on I'm getting them to repeat the reading in front of me until either my readings start squaring with theirs, or I understand why they don't.

And once again, we haven't given her ANY meds whatsoever, at all. In weeks! Nothing, nada, zero. It's the kind of thing I'd remember doing, because getting any med to go in her mouth is a battle of epic proportions.

The only thing I can think of is that they are adding a degree or two to the temperature they take in error?

[Blackcat31]

How old is your child?

Are the days she’s been sent home the same in any way? (same day of week or beginning of week/month etc)

[HappyEverAfter]

Their thermometer could be off caliber and they may not realize it. I had one that I recently replaced that was reading low and I didn’t realize it at first until a child felt much hotter than the thermometer reading. I bought two new ones, an oral and a forehead. These new thermometers vary by 2 full degrees from my old one that was reading low. The one that was reading low was older and I’d had it almost 10 years so as with many things these days, I suppose it just wasn’t meant to work forever. Perhaps theirs is reading higher than what the true temperature is?

[Denali]

Nice try, but believe it or not, some parents are actually honest. I am a scientist, and integrity of data is paramount to me. No NSAIDs, nothing to artificially depress temperature. I take my own temperature as a control. We use a temporal thermometer, daycare uses axillary. Should be roughly the same, but regardless, not enough to explain 98 vs. 101.

What I'm talking about is: I get a phone call about the fever, pick DD up within 15-20 min, already not warm to the touch. Get home 10 min later, no fever. Doctors office, no fever. Repeatedly.

Do they give her anything?

If what you say is true, ask for it to be checked again before you leave with her. That won’t mean that she can stay, because that is ultimately up to the daycare, but it will be something.

Side note: For 4 months my daughter’s temp would go up to 102 for about 20-40 minutes a few times a day and sometimes only once a day. Every time I took her to the doctor her temp was 98-99, never more. It was frustrating and we never figured out what was going on. I recorded taking my DD’s temp with my phone to Show that I wasn’t crazy. Maybe ask nicely if your daycare will do that and send it to you so you can show the doctor next time? This will help you with the “I’m not seeing it so it’s not happening” and on the other side of it if they are lying you’ll see it for yourself 👍

Also start looking for another daycare, if they are sending home because they just don’t want your daughter there and using fever as a way to do that then you’ll need another place soon anyway. Doesn’t sound like you trust them either.

It can be frustrating.

[ColorfulSunburst]

Their thermometer could be off caliber and they may not realize it.

I had this problem. My thermometer showed low temperature then it really was. Because of that I start using an old style mercury thermometer.

[flying_babyb]

Do they give her anything?
my DD’s temp with my phone to Show that I wasn’t crazy. Maybe ask nicely if your daycare will do that and send it to you so you can show the doctor next time? This will help you with the “I’m not seeing it so it’s not happening” and on the other side of it if they are lying you’ll see it for yourself ��

Also start looking for another daycare, if they are sending home because they just don’t want your daughter there and using fever as a way to do that then you’ll need another place soon anyway. Doesn’t sound like you trust them either.

It can be frustrating.

This! our center makes this a requirement. We take a temp, take the thermometer to the boss, she snaps a pic, texts the parent then calls!

[BrynleeJean]

Yea I was going to say at least I know even center that uses auxiliary thermometers usually get them for around $1-3 so I doubt the reading could terrible accurate. Calibration could be off, she could be adding degrees to it too I know at a few centers I worked at they told us to add a degree too to the temp of the child. That’s just the rule I guess cuz of the type of thermometer? not a scheme.