fever is the body’s natural response to fighting off infection or inflammation. fever is most prevalent as a response in the younger crowd. the older we get the less often we get fevers to help us get better. fever is good and should not be feared no matter what grandma told you or what you have heard. fever is just a sign not a disease. school authorities will exclude children since they have no idea what the child is biologically cooking. if children have a contagious illness the fever stage — those first few days of an illness — would be time when they are most contagious. with that said exposure to an infectious disease like a common cold or even strep does not necessarily imply that the person exposed will get it. many schools and day care facilities require that a child be fever-free for 24 hours before coming back to the herd. this is probably a reasonable parameter but 24 hours after getting back into that classroom the child can get another viral infection and the dance will continue. there are no rules that a child with one viral infection can’t get another. many kids especially those new to school or day care will seem to have one continuous cold lasting months. in reality they have had many overlapping (coalescing) viral infections during this period — a new cold starting before the first one went away. some fever facts: * kids will be excluded from school or day care with fever. period. schools set their own rules whether we necessarily agree with them or not. * fever in kids will cost you a lot of missed days at work. period. * fever is the body’s normal response to fighting off an illness — a good thing. it does not require treatment unless the child is uncomfortable. * lowering body temperature does not shorten the course of an illness; if anything it may prolong it. * fevers that occur early in a viral illness are expected and should be welcomed. fevers later in an illness may be a sign of a secondary infection. * keep your cool. fever is a sign not a disease. statistically fevers in kids indicate a viral infection; but not always. your medical provider is your best resource to determine the significance and reason for a fever.
why do schools send home kids with a fever?