Am i being paranoid?

[KatieFS]

Hi all

Just want some advice really.
You might see from my other posts terrible experience with a lo age 2 a few weeks ago. Suddenly got very hot poorly and then lots of sick. At points she went floppy and wasnt sure if she was sleepy or unconscious. it sounds ott but thats what inthought! Mum took to a and e, thank fully chest infection. Not something more scary!

I was so shocked (and quite frightened!) by how quickly she went down hill.
I've now started to use my digital thermometer as do not want that to happen again. Does anyone else do this??
Of the 3 I've got today all 3 have temps, one is going home as fractious and not eating and 10 months.
You know when you start to think am I being too paranoid? Now I'm actually checking temperatures..? I felt so sure before that incident and now not as sure and now feel more ready to ask parents to collect.
Does this make sense!?! Just want to know if I'm too paranoid about it. Surely you should air on side of caution with poorly kids?

[miffy]

I don't think you're paranoid and if they have a temp then home is probably the best place for them as they won't be feeling great. People's normal temp can vary though so it might help if you check their temp when they are not ill just to see what is "normal" for them iyswim.

Miffy xx

[sing-low]

I think 'Your child has a temperature' gives you extra ammo with parents when phoning for them to come and collect their little darling. You can't really argue with it (although I agree with Miffy that we all have baseline different temperatures) - a high temp always means illness.

[sarah707]

We were told on our first aid course that they didn't really recommend we take temps but if we did we had to use the ones with the single use / throw away cardboard ear pieces.

I do it by feel - hot, listless, unable to play, off food = home! xx

[loocyloo]

[QUOTE="sarah707;1324908"]We were told on our first aid course that they didn't really recommend we take temps but if we did we had to use the ones with the single use / throw away cardboard ear pieces.

I do it by feel - hot, listless, unable to play, off food = home! xx[/QUOT

Same here! Ds used to have convulsions when little and I was advised to take temp regularly to keep an eye on him, but my ( WONDERFUL) HV suggested not and just to know by feel if he was too hot. I've never had a thermometre since.

[MessybutHappy]

I go with feel, but have to back up with reading for one family!!! Do what makes you feel comfortable, you had a scare, in time you'll feel more confident again, for now, if it helps, then why not!

[charlottenash]

I got caught out once, said 'little one had a temp' to which I got a reply 'what's the temp' and I had to admit I don't have a thermometer lol!

It's obvious I think, had an 18mo today with a gunky eye, snotty nose and generally run down, but she wasn't hot, slept well, ate well and played well so despite being exhausted at home time, I didn't feel a need to call mum.

[lashely]

I don't think you are being silly at all if children have temp they can go down hill very quickly and it's scary to see.

If parents complain explain your situation or maybe update your policy.

Temperatures can do funny things.

[Tulip]

I think I would be exactly the same Katie, hopefully your worry will ease as time passes x

[dawn100]

I do have a digital thermometer which I use, the same type as the ones used in hospitals with the disposable ear covers. I only use it if I touch a child and them feel warm to the touch according to the nhs anything over 37.5 is classed as a fever, over 38/39 in small children doctors get quite concerned as depending on what's causing it they can go down hill very quickly. I had a child the other day who felt a little warm to the touch but not excesively and really didn't look right but had no other symptoms took temp it was 38 called mum to collect in the half hour it took to collect child became quiet pale but still no real obvious symptoms I said to mum if it was my child I'd be taking them straight to a doctors as my gut feeling was they were really poorly, mum didn't seem too concerned took child home took temp at home (don't think mum beloved me) temp had risen to 39 so mum took lo to the doctors who kept child under observation for 45 mins waiting for dose of calpol to take effect as was trying to decide if they need to be sent to hospital - child had ear infection, throat infection and doctors were very concerned as breathing was becoming laboured and said if mum had left it any longer to bring in would of needed to go to a&e. if I hadn't of taken temp with a digital thermometer I would of probably left it a bit longer before calling and who knows how poorly the child would if been by then.
Interestingly it was something that was recommended I have in my first aid kit at my first aid training as by just how hot a child feels to touch isn't always a good indicator of what their internal temp is.

[KatieFS]

Thank you all. Really helpful and dont feel as paranoid.
did tell parents about the scare and they revealed a similar story with their older child.

Child did go home yesterday. Still not right today but not as hot - 38.3 and has eaten a bit. She is sleeping at mo.

[hectors house]

I got caught out this week, one mum brought child and said he has had a temperature, she brought his calpol and signed the permission book, she also brought a digital ear thermometer. At lunch time I took his temperature and I could see by the memory entry that it had previously been 38 degrees, when I took it he was 38.8 degrees - my children are much older and I am used to thermometers in F not C - so I didn't think that 0.8 was much difference - so I did give Calpol - when his mum collected and I said his temperature had been 38.8 she said that was very high - I looked it up on line and it's 102 degrees F - I did feel his forehead to see if he felt hot and I thought he felt just a little warm - nothing that high - he didn't look that unwell and was still eating, drinking and playing with others.