to think that the no-Calpol rule at nurseries is ridiculous

[chaya5738]

Apparently the government has passed a regulation saying that nurseries aren't permitted to give Calpol to children. The nursery DD attends thinks it is probably justified because sick babies shouldn't be at nursery.

My feelings is that while really sick babies (or babies with lingering D&V or something) shouldn't be at nursery, sometimes they can just be slightly sick (eg: with teething pain or a mild cold) and it is ok for them to be there. And it would be quite nice for them to have Calpol to relieve the symptoms.

Background is that I had to rush in to nursery yesterday to give my DD Calpol because she had a temperature of 37.8. Nursery said I had to come in immediately as it was urgent that they got her fever down. DD was a bit quiet but otherwise not showing any symptoms. It takes me about 30-40mins to get there so decided that by the time I get there, give her Calpol, and get back to work, I figured I might us well just not go back to work and take her home. Ended up keeping her home today because it was going to be too difficult to get in to nursery to give her Calpol each time her temperature went up. She has a mild cold (as do the nursery staff!) and is fine once the Calpol kicks in. Once I got her home yesterday she was bouncing off the walls having a grand old time.

I have so far missed 1.5 days of work, which I really can't afford at the moment. This has happened before too when she was teething - I decided to keep her home rather than have her in pain, Calpol-free at nursery all day.

So, does anyone have any up-sides to this new policy?

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

it's not new

HTH

[chaya5738]

Really? Our nursery used to give Calpol but have since stopped (ie: in the last few months) telling them parents that the government has passed a law.

What does HTH mean?

[lifeinagoldfishbowl]

Our nursery gives calpol - as long as 1 it's signed in at the beginning of the day with specific instructions as to when it is administered ie 11am 5ml 3pm 5ml or if they have a temp then you get a phone caall and conifrm over the phone that they can give it.

[DidEinsteinsMum]

Its not that new. and yes if they had given my ds capol when he became ill at nursery he would have probably died.

so imo the rule is a good one and sick babies and children shouldnt be at nursery. Ds' nursery though did have the option of the parent adminstering the capol. it was just the staff who werent allowed to. I think also there has been a case of a child being given an overdose because the staff gave 2 doses during the day and didnt notify the parents that it was 2 not one and the parents gave 3 within the 24hour period. Iirc the child was very poorly as a result.

[SecretSlattern]

We do give Calpol at nursery but only if it is prescribed by the GP

[DanceInTheDark]

If she has a mild cold she doesn't need calpol. A cold needing calpol is different ime.

HTH = hope to help.

It's probably safer to not do it to protect against accidental overdose. Ie one member of staff forgets to record that your DD has had a dose and then a different member of staff doses her.....

[sloanypony]

My nursery give Calpol. My daughter is starting one session a week shortly and just this Wednesday gone by (yesterday!) I signed a form saying they could give a dose of Calpol if she were to take ill with a fever before I could collect her.

[DanceInTheDark]

Its the same at school actually. Staff are not allowed to administer medicines. If your child needs a medicine taking thru the day you can go in at 12 and give them a dose.

[emmyloulou]

Since when have nurseries been allowed to give calpol anyway?

I didn't think nurseries could ever medicate a child unless they have been trained, have a specific prescribed medicine and the exact dosage timescale etc.

They don't know what your child can/can't have or if you have given any at home, this is how it's been for years I thought.

[lifeinagoldfishbowl]

At our nursery I worked there years ago and now drop my nanny charge there - a senior member of staff adminsters the medicine ie manager/deputy in front of a qualified member of staff and both sign the book so there are no issues regarding over medicating.

[mummysleepy]

in your situation maybe it would have been fine. But for another child with something potentially serious, giving calpol to bring down temp could be dangerous as it could then make them harder to diagnose or less obvious that they were seriously unwell

so I think YABU sorry!


However I don't see anything wrong with giving calpol before they go to nursery if they just have a virus and you are happy that there is nothing else wrong

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

The regulations only used to allow for prescribed medication, however a change in these now allows for over the counter medication to be administered too. But there are procedures in place for the administering of either. They are now treated the same.

But schools and nurseries do not have to administer anything, it is up to them. They make their own policy based on the regulations

[bumpsnowjustplump]

Its also the same in any workplace. You are not aloud to have any pain killers in the first aid box anymore.

I work in the area of care and we have to be trained to administer medication. You are not aloud to even take meds out of the packet for a person until you have passed all your exams, so i think if someone administered it they would have to be a trained medical professional or they could be on the wrong side of the medicines act...

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Other/General/Factsheet-childcare-Giving-medication-to-children-in-registered-childcare


Sorry poor linkage skills evident - but there are the current regs from OFSTED HTH

[seeker]

Any child ill enough to need Calpol shouldn't be at nursery.

[Pheebe]

Agree with seeker 100%, its a no brainer!

[chaya5738]

Hmmmm....interesting. The old procedure was that I would sign a form telling them when to administer it and that just seems more sensible to me.
Surely if the concern is concealing symptoms then take could occur not matter who administered it - parent or nursery carer?

[chaya5738]

Hang on a second, Seeker - what about teething pain? My DD's goes with Calpol and she is fine otherwise so it seems silly to keep her at home.

[gingercat12]

But Calpol is often just for teething.

[StealthPolarBear]

DS's nursery gave DS calpol about a year ago when he was ill - they did that when they realised he was ill, at the same time as calling me to pick him up. So IMO it's useful if they can administer calpol, and that doesn't have to conflict with the "child needing calpol is too ill to be at nursery" argument.
I wonder if they have stopped now.

[DandyDan]

It's just the same at schools. Even if they were in the school sixth form, the students are not allowed to take a paracetamol, nor are they allowed to bring one with them; which is pretty unfair for girls with period pains, but unfair generally for anyone who develops a headache/stomachache/toothache at school. These pains don't stop you being at school but make studying miserable. I can see the legal reasoning for it, but not everyone is going to be able to bring tablets to school at lunchtime for their kids to take (they have to hand them over in front of staff and take them in front of staff).

[chaya5738]

That is part of my point too Stealth. I was told by nursery that I had to drop everthing and rush to give my DD calpol to get her 37.8 temperature down. I was in a client meeting and already finding it hard to maintain my career and be a good mother. Having to walk out of the meeting wasn't a great look and I could have used to extra time that nursery administering Calpol would have bought me!

[DanceInTheDark]

I must be evil because i have never used calpol for teething pain with my 3.

[Emster30]

my child is only 7 weeks old so i don't have experience of this yet - but if i have a mild cold i would go to work but would take a paracetamol-based product to help myself feel better and fully able to work. is this different for a child?

[chaya5738]

I agree with you DandyDan - I decided to keep DD home because I didn't want her suffering from teething pains all day even though she was otherwise fine and healthy to attend nursery.