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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Medised - How often is too often?

32 replies

IamBlossom · 12/01/2006 15:31

My DS 16 months usually wakes up at least once a night - usually a quick cuddle and a resettle works - if not, a dummy. But I'd say at least twice a week he cries uncontrollably and won't settle, doesn't want a cuddle, doesn't want a dummy.

On these occasions I usually administer one spoon (5 mls) of Medised which quietens him, and sends him off to sleep till morning. I justify it that if his teeth are hurting/he is snotty than I am treating that complaint but what if I am "drugging" him unecesarily? I don't want him to get used to being medicated to sleep.....

Does anyone else use medised/Calpol regularly? Am I being a bit heavy handed with it?

OP posts:

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FrannyandZooey · 12/01/2006 15:36

I will watch this thread with interest

When ds has a cold I have been quite liberal with the medised, funnily enough he seems to always need a dose just before bedtime...

nutcracker · 12/01/2006 15:40

TBH I wouldn't use it that often with my kids.

I give them a dose before bed when they have a cold, but wouldn't give it just because they woke up.

nutcracker · 12/01/2006 15:41

Sorry, I meant I wouldn't give it when they woke unless they did actually have a cold.

IamBlossom · 12/01/2006 15:42

So you wouldn't use it to treat teething?

OP posts:

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 12/01/2006 15:43

if it works - carry on.... if he wont settlethen there is obviously an underlying reason.

I have been known to use neurofen a little too often with Jess, but it helps her sleep and when she wakes up she feels better - happy child, happy mum (NOW SHOOT ME!)

nutcracker · 12/01/2006 15:44

But if this is twice a week every week it can't be teething or a cold all the time can it.

mrspitt · 12/01/2006 15:46

I use medised for lots of complaints. Teething , cold, sore legs in ds at 3 in the morning.
As long as you're not doping them up to the eyeballs then i wouldn't worry too much.

IamBlossom · 12/01/2006 15:50

No I only give 5 mls not 2 x 5 mls like the bottle says is ok to give a 16 month old, and I do try everything else first bar the bad things like offering milk or bringing downstairs which I absolutely refuse to do. I can usually tell from his crying if anything else is going to work, and try to use it as a last resort, it just seems that lately, I'm at that resort alot...mind you he only has his front 8 teeth and I am expecting a bigun through at any moment...

OP posts:

misdee · 12/01/2006 15:50

i think older babies teeth hurt them more than babies teething. (those big teeth popping through, ouch). if you are worried the medised is making him drowsey, then use calpol instead. it'll get rid of any pain, weithout aiding sleep.

mazzystar · 12/01/2006 15:50

it could well just be a placebo effect that's getting him to sleep. you know, he wakes up tired, too tired, and is groggy and headachey, but he is old enough to know know that "medicine" makes him feel better.

IamBlossom · 12/01/2006 15:55

Yeah I agree with that MazzyStar. If I'm honest Medised was the preference because it DOES make him sleepy so I thought yay double whammy, but if i want to figure out if it's pain or not i could switch to Calpol I suppose.....

OP posts:

otto · 12/01/2006 16:04

I have this with my 22-month ds too. Some nights I'm really tough and don't give it to him, but other nights I give in just to get sleep. I'm not sure whether he needs it or not, to be honest and do worry about it. But he does teeth very badly and seems to have had teething symtoms for a couple of months now. I'm pretty sure it's his last molars that are coming through, but they seem so much slower than the other teeth. I can't wait for this all to be over so we can get some sleep.

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 12/01/2006 16:05

Jess's teeth are causing HAVOC at the moment, up until november, she only had 8, and she seems to be cutting more and more each week..... i need shares in nuerofen i swear!

newkid · 12/01/2006 16:12

Definitely don't appear to be overusing it - twice a week isn't a lot. Also I'd agree that at that age teeth are probably the cause. My dd is 20mo and has been more unsettled in the last three or four months as her molars came through and now with her canines. She was easier with her first teeth TBH. I have resorted to a sneaky medised at 3am with her in the last few months, though now just rub on a bit of calgel/bonjela (which she loves!) instead and if that doesn't work go back and offer Medised.

FandZ, are you really using it every night?

SoupDragon · 12/01/2006 16:14

Twice a week every week is too much IMO although it really depends how long it's been going on for or will go on for.

nutcracker · 12/01/2006 16:16

I agree that twice a wek isn't too much at all, but that really dpends on how long it has ben going on for.

I agree that if it is teething then capol should be given instead.

princessmel · 12/01/2006 16:18

My husband used to worry whether we were giving our ds medised too much, but it was always the last resort and only if he had a cold or was ill or had teeth coming.It seemed like we'd have a patch where we would use it alot then a long period of time without it and this just kept happening untill all his teeth were through. It always worked and I felt that if he had a good nights sleep then he'd feel better and we'd all have a better day. I used to use calpol in the day so he wasn't drowsy but this never worked at night. I think as long as you don't overdose and try everything else first, its fine to use it when they need it.

misdee · 12/01/2006 16:19

btw i have had to 'drug' my kids to sleep before now, we used vallergan, its not nice to do, but when they are ripping their skin off, it has to be done just to get some sleep. have also used it to sedate dd2 on long journeys as it stops her being sick.

medised just doesnt work here lol.

misdee · 12/01/2006 16:20

oh and i think a mum on here, her ds was used to having medicine after being ill and assicated it with sleep, so she gave him water of a white medicine spoon when he was better.

IamBlossom · 12/01/2006 16:22

thanks chaps. I feel reassured, and do believe that teeth are the culprit, so will continue to use this or Calpol as a last resort.

OP posts:

Mercy · 12/01/2006 16:23

I agree with Misdee and Soupdragon.

I couldn't get ds to open his mouth when I tried to give him Medised, he hates it (I only discovered it recently)

leggymamba · 12/01/2006 16:24

I must be a really really bad mother - hope the baby police don't monitor MN! DS is 8mth has been waking every night moaning with pain for last 2 months (has one tooth now) - I give Medised (and some times ibuprofen) most nights. If it makes him sleep it's worth it! I also give it during the day and seems to have no effect on sleep.

I wish I'd discovered it 2 years ago for dd. There used to be much worse stuff in kids medicine when we were little and my mum was very easy flowing with that! I haven't ended up as a druggy!

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misdee · 12/01/2006 16:26

no one has said anyone is a bad mum have they?

just making other suggestions of what may work.

Hausfrau · 12/01/2006 16:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lio · 12/01/2006 16:33

hf, talking of pain relief, how is ds1?

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