I keep telling you, it's not strep!

So yesterday afternoon I'm at work when I get a call on the cell phone. Looking at the readout I can see that it's from the school so I know I need to answer it. Unfortunately, I forgot to mute the line on the webinar I was hosting at the time, so I shared the conversation with my co-worker on the other line. I'm glad she was the only one to log in at that point - at least I didn't subject a whole class of students to listening to me chat with the school nurse!

Yes, it was the school nurse - excuse me, school health aide. They're not school nurses anymore, at least not at our school. I don't know what kind of background you have to have to get the job, but I'm pretty sure I could do it myself, based on my experiences with them over the last few years.

So she tells me that Haley is flushed and running a bit of a fever and has a sore mouth with sores and white spots on her tongue. It must be strep, so we should come get her. Or maybe not. Because the fever isn't that high. And she says she doesn't feel sick. So if we don't want to come get her that's probably okay. But maybe we should. But if not, it will be fine.

I always appreciate it when someone is so clear about what they need me to do.

After some questioning, it turns out that the fever is barely over 99 degrees. On a hot day. Just after recess playing outside. I think most of us would be a bit flushed with an elevated temperature after running around in 88 degrees for 20 minutes.

I questioned her about the tongue - having been down this road before with last year's school health aide. What did the tongue look like? Was it sore? Was it her throat (strep) or just her tongue (probably her citrus allergy - which is all over in her her school file)? Based on all answers, I was almost certain it was just her citrus allergy kicking in. I questioned what they'd had for lunch. The health aide looked at the lunch menu and assured me there had been no citrus, so she though it was probably not that.

So between Aaron and I and several texts and phone calls back and forth between us and the school, we decided that Haley would go back to class and then head to the afterschool daycare until I could get there, but I should go ahead and get her early because Aaron couldn't leave early. I walked the 1/2 mile+ to the bus station (because there were no busses coming to my regular stop at that time of day), caught an early bus, and picked up Haley and Preston a couple of hours early.

As soon as I got there, I had her stick out her tongue... yep, definitely a citrus reaction. Which makes her tongue sore and she gets little sores and red patches (just like me when I eat citrus). Annoying. And if she were to KEEP eating citrus after the tongue gets sore, then she'd get an upset tummy. But it's nothing that requires her to go home. Which I've covered with the school before.

*sigh*

She's fine. Turns out there was an orange and pineapple fruit cup with lunch. I could have stayed at work.Glad I have an understanding boss!