Can't sleep because I've convinced myself SS will be calling me about DS

[Anonymous1234567]

Name change for this because I feel awful

I don't know if I'm thinking irrationally because I'm overtired and upset but I can't shake this awful feeling.

DS who's 6 has been very poorly all of last night and today with a horrendous cough and a fever (took himfor a covid test this afternoon) and we were up all night last night because he just couldn't settle.
We were both beyond exhausted this evening so we headed to bed at around 9pm. I gave him some nurofen and STUPIDLY left the bottle and the syringe on my bedside cabinet. DS was lying in bed watching TV so decided to go for a quick shower. I got dried and changed and went downstairs to make us some hot chocolate and when I came back upstairs I found the bottle open and he'd helped himself to some nurofen. The bottle was definitely closed properly because I remember checking the cap like I always do.

There was less than 1/4 of the bottle left because I shook the bottle before giving him some and made a mental note to ask my DM to pick up some more for me tomorrow as we were running low.

I immediately called out of hours and explained what had happened and was told to call an ambulance. The dispatcher told me to sit tight and wait for a nurse to ring back. The nurse rang back and after a lengthy conversation she told me he hadn't consumed enough to need medical assistance and to keep a close eye on him for the next 24 hours and reminded me the importance of keeping medication out of reach of children which made me feel like a terrible mother that I needed to be reminded of something I should have known.

I feel so guilty and ashamed of myself. I'm always so careful and keep medication in a cupboard which my DS can't reach but I honestly don't know what came over me tonight!

My DS is now asleep but I'm wide awake, stressed, in tears and feel sick to my stomach envisioning SS knocking on my door tomorrow to ask me what happened and why I was so careless with my child.

My toddler drank some liquid sudofed as my DH had forgotten to put it away. We had a rather dramatic dash to a and e on advice of 111 but nothing else.

Toddler obviously fine by the way!

It’s an honest ,bone weary , tired mistake. As you say , less than quarter of bottle , might make him sleepy but I’m sure he will be fine. Seriously doubt you’ll have ss at your door for that. If I had them at my door for some of the horrendous accidents that have happened with my kids they would no longer be living with me. Give yourself a break. You were sleep deprived and thinking with your sins best interest at heart. Trust me you will NEVER leave meds out again. So it’s all good.

It's fine. I really don't think anyone will contact you. Things definitely feel much worse in the middle of the night.

This happened with our two year old and calpol. I'd left the bottle in the living room whilst I made myself a coffee and must not have done the lid up til it clicked (it gets so sticky). I found the bottle on the carpet with a lovely puddle of sticky pink stuff.
DH was working upstairs and is fortunately a doctor so weighed DS and he hadn't ingested enough to harm him. DH was really cross as me though, as I was with myself.

Don't worry. No one died. You won't do it again.

SS won't call as they will be busy dealing with children who are being kept out of education, starved or beaten or sexually abused or forced in to marriage or genitally mutilated.

I'm not saying this for effect but just to say that horrendous things go on - not least as the parents doing the horrendous things have had them done to them as children - and you are in no way close to be a dangerous or abusing mother.

💐

This is really common. It happened to me. I did get a call from SS who listened to the circumstances and decided it was a 'wee one off' and that was the end of it.

I am smiling here because presumably Calpol etc has child proof caps on it, so if you closed the lid on it ..... This 61 year old took forever to unscrew the lid on a cough mixture for herself, no kids present, it took a lot of swearing, brute strength and cunning to get the bloody top off!

I accidentally gave DD too much nurofen - Thought I was giving her calpol, so gave her 5ml instead of 2.5ml.

I did the same as you, rang NHS Direct who were great, said it is very common and as a one off, wouldn't do any harm but obviously to be mindful of what medicine I was giving.

Deep breath, your DC will be fine

So you tell them what happened and you tell them what strategies znd measures you putting in place so it wont happen again.
If they check in with you again it will be to make sure you and ds are OK.
If there are other issues going on that you are struggling with then say so and ask where you can get support.

@deathraystare this 61 year old had an 18 month old boy who sussed how to open drawers with childproof locks in nano- seconds!

Just an accident, they happen all the time. I would drum into DS though that it's really important that only adults give medicine, never, ever children.