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Dh overdosed my SN DC at hospital now

133 replies

Worried20 · 03/04/2020 14:14

My dh has given my non verbal dc 4 times the dose of his medicine. He fell asleep and it was only when I jokingly said you haven't given him his sleep meds have you? That he realised he had given him 30mg instead of 7.5mg of a med he takes to control his adhd.

He has been monitored but won't tolerate heart monitors even while asleep.

I am at home with other dc as I don't drive and hospital 12 miles away and didn't want to put other dc at risk.

I'm so angry, worried and upset. Not only for the careless and insane overdose but for putting him at risk of catching Covid -19.

He has moved to a ward to keep monitoring. Dh has been obsessively working from home, was the one job of giving a drink with meds in too much to ask while I fixed my other dc breakfast.

What the hell can I do assuming this is ok for my dc. I have never ever made such an error. I'm not perfect but he has really fucked up.

OP posts:
Shannaratiger · 03/04/2020 15:44

Easy to make a mistake in these stressful times. I once took double dose of my epilepsy meds - was almost crawling down the road to collect Dd.

LittleDragonGirl · 03/04/2020 15:48

This is awful and scary situation, but i would try not to blow up at your DH until you've had time to calm down.

If your DH has been under insane work load while at home, trying to help with the kids and the house and is stressed about the current environment of Covid, then it easily could be a honest mistake.

I take ADHD meds among other medications myself and have managed to overdose myself (accidentally) more then once, due to being so stressed and busy ive just not paid attention. >.< And thats from taking the same medication daily for years!

I'm sure your DH feels positively awful and will probably really struggle mentally with what has happened himself.

I hope your DS is home soon, and hopefully the monitoring is just a precaution if he can't be monitored at home Flowers

OldLace · 03/04/2020 15:49

Great news he's awake, OP!!

Hope he continues to perk up and is home ASAP.

I can understand how you feel, but sometimes mistakes are made.
I have a friend whose local pharmacy just miscalculated her ds' new ASD meds by a factor of 10!! (only her careful checking of the bottle label brought it to light before he went to his care setting - yikes!)

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TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 03/04/2020 15:53

Be kind to yourself and your DH. It’s a stressful time at the moment and a mistake that anyone could make.

I’m glad your DS has woken up now.

diddl · 03/04/2020 15:55

How did he get it so wrong?

Gave two 15ml spoons instead of half?

Is he so unused to doing it?

SouthWestmom · 03/04/2020 15:57

I'd be focussing on how he gave 30 and not 7.5 tbh if you now think ds will be ok.

What measures can you put in place - did he just guess, what made him realise when you asked him, how do you record he has had it etc

MamehaSan · 03/04/2020 16:01

I assumed from the OP that he gave the wrong medicine - i.e. 30ml of Med A rather than 30ml of Med B.

OP, I hope your DS recovers quickly and you and DH manage to work through it Flowers

RU562341 · 03/04/2020 16:01

OP, I really hope your son is OK.
Sleep on it for now and discuss it with your husband when your son is better and you can focus a bit more clearly.
((to you all))

QuimReaper · 03/04/2020 16:05

30 mg? Does this mean he gave the child four pills instead of one? How is that an accident? I would question that.

Fucking hell @Durgasarrow what are you implying?

AnneofTeenFables · 03/04/2020 16:10

Flowers for you. That's awful and so incredibly stressful.

I'm in awe at all these posters saying mistakes happen and be kind to your DH. Yy mistakes do happen but I must admit I'd be raging. It's a pretty fundamental mistake. I guess it does depend if this is indicative of his lack of engagement with family life. Because you're right, you should be able to give other DCs' breakfast and trust your DH to give medicine.

As a PP said, DH's level of contrition would have a big impact on how I responded.

I hope your DS gets home today.

Willow2017 · 03/04/2020 16:10

Of course the hospitals have a lot else on their minds to at present time.
Not all wards are stuffed to the gunnels with Covid patients, especially not childrens hospitals. They are not shut to anyone with a genuine non-covid related reason for being there, have a bit of empathy fgs.

Op it was a mistaker, I am sure he feels bloody awful and doesnt need anyone telling him how awful he should feel.
We have all made mistakes, even hospital staff, nobody is perfect.
Glad your ds has woken up and hopefully be home soon.

Its stressfull for you both right now so try to spend just a little while appreciating each other and figuring out how to support each other.

30 mg? Does this mean he gave the child four pills instead of one? How is that an accident? I would question that.
RTFT! What a nasty post stop shit stirring.

butterpuffed · 03/04/2020 16:10

I get that you've felt absolutely distraught after the awful error your DH has made and no doubt he's mortified.

What I really don't get is why you've broadcast what he's done to hundreds of MNers on here.

Grandmi · 03/04/2020 16:11

Mistakes happen and your DH will be feeling so awful...it will not happen again. I am a Registered Nurse and drug errors do happen and all staff are encouraged to be transparent if they make a mistake . Do not give him a hard time it will only make matters worse .

Eckhart · 03/04/2020 16:12

Did he use 2 spoonfuls, but use the wrong size spoon?

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/04/2020 16:13

I’d be livid. As someone whose child takes medication twice a day, how one parent can’t understand the dosage is beyond me.
You’re a better woman than me, id kill him.

HollowTalk · 03/04/2020 16:13

What was his reaction, OP?

OntheWaves40 · 03/04/2020 16:13

It seems like an easy mistake to make, I assume he usually has 30mg of morning meds and 7.5mg of evening meds and he gave 30mg of evening meds?
Your OP seems very harsh towards your DH, as i’m sure it was a mistake made through worry and stress.
I don’t blame you to worry about CV but kids are very low risk.

FizzyGreenWater · 03/04/2020 16:16

Not an easy mistake to make, no.

Really don't want to comment further on how I'd feel now about Mr Work Is So Important.

SunshineCake · 03/04/2020 16:21

Is he his child too as it reads like he isn't and I don't think being busy at work means accidents happen when it comes to a child's medication. You have to be 100% on it.

OP. I hope you are ok and your son too.

SmallMediumLarge · 03/04/2020 16:23

Op is hardly broadcasting her DH's name and identifying details Hmm. I should imagine she just needed to vent.

Op, in your position I would be raging - but in your DH's position I would feel absolutely mortified and eaten up with guilt. Probably a good idea to calm down and consider anything you say before addressing your DH with it. If there are 2 types of meds then I can see how that mistake might be made, but it must have been a horrible shock and I feel for you having to stay at home rather than be by their side.

I'm glad to see your DC is awake and hope they are recovered soon. Wine Flowers

TARSCOUT · 03/04/2020 16:23

So DH gave DC night time meds instead of daytime meds. Unfortunate but hardly an overdose. Think you are being a bit harsh.

Bonniegirlie · 03/04/2020 16:27

It was a mistake. Treat your DH how you would like to be treated if it had been your mistake. Nobody is perfect (although there seems to be a lot of perfect people commenting on this thread) and you've both had a horrible fright. But falling out with each other won't undo it and things are stressful enough at the moment. Glad he's OK

lmcneil003 · 03/04/2020 16:27

It's a mistake. No-one is perfect, including you.
Be kind to DH - I bet he is in pieces.

SavageBeauty73 · 03/04/2020 16:28

I once drugged the wrong twin! Mistakes happen.

AnneOfTeenFables · 03/04/2020 16:33

I'm genuinely perplexed by this thread. Female posters come on here and admit a minor mistake and they get absolutely pilloried. A man is so distracted or careless or stressed or disengaged with his family that he gives his DC four times the dosage and they end up in hospital, and posters are falling over themselves to excuse him. I mean, really? Confused

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