Day care facilities must follow these guidelines. If a child's temperature registers 100, employees are required to send the child home and instruct the parents not to return the child until his or her temperature has remained below 100 for 24 hours. If you feel your child's temperature may be elevated because he is wearing several layers of clothing, has been playing actively outside or just awakened from a nap in a warm room, you might ask them to take his temperature again after removing his clothing and letting him cool off for a short time. Low-grade fever is usually not cause for concern, but it can be a sign of illness or infection. Physicians will ask for other signs of illness, such as decreased appetite, fatigue, inactivity, sleeping more than usual, cold symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Body temperature can rise when children are overdressed or in a room that is too warm.
Although textbooks vary, some textbooks say that teething can cause low-grade fever up to 100. It can be frustrating for parents with job responsibilities to have to bring a child home when he or she seems fine, but the regulations are in place up to prevent the spread of colds and other childhood diseases. Often colds and flu are contagious before other symptoms appear. You might be reassured to know your son's day care is observing the children closely and following proper guidelines to ensure a safe environment for your child. 882-7000 to make an appointment with a University of Missouri Health Sciences Center physician.