Help with hassle regarding child with temp

[Keeley77]

Have sent a 3 yr old child home with a temp of 37.7 today, parents didn't want to collect but I told them it wasn't optional. The dad has now sent me a photo of a therm showing a norm temp and is saying that there is nothing wrong with her . She has been sleeping on and off all day, shivering etc. but he obviously feels I'm lying? My policy is exclusion for 24hours after last recorded temp. I also had it in my mind that we are not allowed to look after children who have a temp - I wanted to show info to parent but couldn't find anything specific regarding children with a temp.

Can anyone advise?

The dad was very off with me when he finally picked up his child, feel annoyed to be honest.

Would he behave this way if a school or nursery asked him to collect?

[Keeley77]

Not that it maters if he doesn't believe she had a temp in the 1st place! I even showed him the therm as it showed the last temp taken. Im always honest and reliable so i dont know why they would think that im making it up! I was trying to put the interests of their child 1st and not breach the law regarding caring for sick children etc

[smurfette]

Ah he was just mad cos you inconvenienced
His day lol!! Some people forget
That they have a child and they should be first priority . Have you had Lo long? Sometimes I find the first couple of times you have to exclude or send home they are funny about it but they do usually adjust to the rules.. Can't advise re rules for exclusion sorry cos I am in Ireland but you did the right thing, sorry you are feeling cross about it.. I would be too!

[Koala]

Hi Keeley - regardless of whether I or anyone else thinks you should send a child home - you have and you have justified your reasons to parents. You think the child was ill and as you were caring for her - it is your call.
Firstly, if it were me, I would say to the parents that:- I am sorry that your child was ill and I have had to send him/her home, I did not take the decision lightly, however I have a duty of care to all concerned and I have adhered to this duty of care which I would apply to any child in my care, please respect this and refer to pols and procedures.
Secondly - I would make dad aware that I do not appreciate a photo being sent of a temperature - this is irrelevant and not appropriate - you are not responsible of the child outside your care - and can only comment when the child is in your care and ask them to kindly respect this. maybe you can ask them directly what they are trying to prove by this??? but I probably wouldn't bother he sounds like an
Thirdly - you have to be strong and firm here with dad - he is p'eed off because his day has been interrupted - tuff - he has to deal with this and his responsibilities - stay strong and don't be bullied - don't even question if you have done the right thing - you have followed your procedure and that is the end of it.

If it helps - I have had to make the call to send children home because they are ill and when they have been at home they have perked up - it happens - I have had it with my own children and all I would say to parents is that it just goes to show lo should be at home because this obviously it perked them up!!
I always feel guilty about sending lo's home - but as a parent I would want to know and to care for my child myself if they were under the weather I wouldn't want anyone else to deal with them because, with all due respect, ill children are always better cared for at home. Obviously some homes are more caring than others

have a glass of wine

[Kerry30]

Bet the parent gave calpol or nurofen before sending you the pic of thermometer reading!
Sometimes children can have a raging temp one minute and be fine a few hours later. My dd (8yrs) had a temp the other night. Gave her calpol to go to bed. Checked on her a couple of hrs later and she was saturated with sweat and delierious (thought she was about to have a fit). Gave her nurofen and shes been fine since! Did spent half the night at the walk in center to b told that her tonsils were swollen but they couldnt do anything as they werent infected. (I thought she had tonsilitus again as she did last time she had the high temp).
That just proves how quick a child can recover!

[mama2three]

a bit late now but my response to the dads text / pic would have been - oh Im so glad that x is feeling a little better , obviously being at home is just what he needed.