What do you all do with the little ones running low grade fevers from teething?? I have a little one now, 9 months old- has had a few teeth coming in the past few weeks, Mom brought her yesterday am and said she had given her motrin for her teeth. Well after waking up from afternoon nap sure enough, motrin had worn off and temp of 100.9, the rest of the day had been okay, eating normal, playing, did sleep a little more than usual but nothing major. Was clingy to me after nap, just a bit out of sorts but okay. This family is very respectful, I know they would never bring their children knowing they are sick, but how do I deal with it if it really is teething??? Because technically I am not supposed to allow her with a "fever"...

Reply

I allow teething fevers as long as they are low grade and the baby can still play with only a few extra cuddles. I have a DCG right now who just heats up like crazy when she cuts a tooth and my dd's were the same way. She's like a baby monkey on the day she cuts the tooth but she's basically ok, just clingy.

Reply

Fevers over 100 means kids have to stay home.

I had an epiphany from this forum when I termed a kid for diaharrea last week (after 6 week-long episodes in 6 months) and the parents blamed it on teething and food (every time):

It does not matter WHY.... it matters that they have the symptom, and they have to go. (Thanks Blackcat for that one)


We aren't doctors and, maybe it is teething, and maybe it is not.

If they have a symptom on the illness exclusion list, they have to go.

Reply

I wanted to add....

My dcb's week long explosive diaharrea that was blamed on teething...

....still no teeth lol.

Would it be snarky of me to bring that up to the parents haha? "hmmm, with all of that explosive diaharrea caused by teething, can you show me what tooth actually popped through? Oh wait- you can't? WHAT? NO teeth came through after all!?! Dr. DCP was WRONG?"

Reply

My one family does this all the time. I am not putting up with it any longer. I added loose stools/diarrhea in my contract for next yr. If it is explosive and not contained in diaper, they should be sent home.

Reply

I also exclude based on symptoms. It's impossible for us to know for sure what is causing the symptoms.

Reply

I'm done with diaharrea after this kid. I completely changed my entire illness policy.

Reply

IME a teething fever does not go above 100. Actually, IME when teething, I think the kid feels warm but the thermometer doesn't register anything higher than maybe 98.9 but I SWEAR the kid feels feverish...then a day or so later, look teeth!

Also I think that the new "official" word on teething fevers from people like Dr. Sears is that they don't go past 99.5 or 100.

Another thought though...what made you take her temp after nap? Was it immediately upon waking or did you wait twenty minutes or half an hour? Sometimes temps can be high immediately upon waking if the room was warm.

Reply

Some children run hotter than others though so you should take behavior into consideration IMO. I run a fever with allergies which is rare as well but it happens every single time I have a bad attack. My kids run hot....fevers with small colds that aren't bothering them, teething and allergies for one of them and they spike in a crazy way too.

Reply

I don't allow children with fevers over 100 degreed no matter what the cirumstance. The same goes with diarrhea. If your child has either, your child can't stay ... period. I go as far as to explain in my handbook that even if babies are teething if they have a fever and/or diarrhea they can't stay, I run a well-child daycare and I simply can't take the chance that there is a possibility that it could be something else altogether. You just never know and I can't take that risk when I have other children to consider.

I also don't administer any type of medication or allow a child if they are taking a fever/pain reducer and I mean business. Don't try to give your child a fever reducer to mask symptoms and then try to sneak them in to DC. My policy is that if you keep your sick child home then your child only has to stay home for 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided. If you try to bring your sick child here and I have to send your child home the 24 hours turns into a mandatory 48 hours after symptoms subside. I can be flexible when it comes to other things but not when it comes to the DC kids health, with that I don't mess around. Thank goodness that I don't have issues with this now.

Reply

wow! I have ALOT of the same policies as MarinaVanessa's and have had to enforce them all this past spring with ALOT of my families. They still try to find the loop holes. They all swear I invent their kid's symptoms. They pick up their sick kido and call me or text me their kids are not reading a fever. The next day they will bring their child to care and swear I sent their child home for nothing. Parents complain to me all the time their child was fine!! Most of the time I am sending home the evidences such as puke or di on the clothes. How am I fabricating that? One week in March all my families sent their kids here with the Noro virus well of couse it spread like wild fire in the daycare. I still had two mom's say their child was "teething" even after the whole incident. It was so bad when I got it I had to close for a day. I don't sit there and argue with parents I just say well it's nothing personal it is jus policy. One of my mom's will not tell me if her child pukes or has diarhea prior to daycare, I always find out from dad who is to honest at pick up. I have termed so many familie in the past for this issue. I give up! it one of the reason's why I am so burned out. If you have a very strict policy and enforce it to the letter (which I do), they will find a loop hole and will try to use it to their advantage. I send home the sick kids but I find most of the time it's too late, the whole daycare is exposed! Not sure what else to do. I had one parent (not here anymore) their child was so sick and laying in my living room waiting for the parent. The parent arrives and starts chatting with my neighbor!! OMG he was out chatting in my drive way for 5 minutes while his puking son lay in my living room. I could not believe it I even added it my handbook "No talking to provider's neighbors if you get called to pick up your child when they are sick."

Reply

I don't know how to post a link .....

But if you google "mayo clinic teething fever" you will find that neither fever nor diarrhea are related to teething. I find that it is difficult for parents to argue with the Mayo Clinic or the Center for Disease Control. Always exclude for fevers over 100 and diarrhea.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teething/FL00102

Reply

Yup. I've actually added a section regarding teething and this link to my handbook! Parents stopped using the teething excuse immediately

Reply