Question about normal temps being lower for some?

[jbrmdr]

I have a child whose mother sent me an email and spoke with me because she said her child is sick with a sore throat and cold symptoms. He misses alot of school and many times parents send them to school so they can be counted present and then check them out early.

She said his normal temp is 96.7 so a temp of 98.7 for him is like a temp of 100.7. She wanted him to come all day long and have his temp checked and for me to call her every time he came in. Finally his temp did reach 98.7 and so she wanted to come and pick him up. He acted and seemed fine.

I realize not everyone runs a solid 98.6 as their normal and temps fluctuate at different times of day and are normally lower in the mornings. But can you really compare a temp of 98.7 to 100.7?

Anyone else had experience with this? And do you think there is any truth to this?

[Sudsy]

My first thought is what thermometer is being used! Exactly what eatmysox said. We used "ear" thermometers in our clinic and everyone was lowish. We changed to the "forehead" one (sorry for my lack of medical terminology I'm headachy and tired, better check my own temp, ha ha) and now everyone runs highish!

That's funny b/c I use temporal at my school and I feel that it, quite consistently, runs low. Almost every afebrile student has a temp in the 97's. Once a kid had a 102 on that thermometer and I joked with him that I almost wanted to take a pic of that result, since some kids would swear that my thermometer NEVER registers a fever :)

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I was told we cannot use mercury thermometers due to potential Hazmat risk if it gets broken.....and to think we used to chase the mercury around the room........

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

I always go by what our policy says and what it considers a fever. I relate this info. to parents so it doesn't come off as me not believing them.