Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

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

110 replies

chaya5738 · 09/09/2010 14:05

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?

OP posts:

BoysAreLikeDogs · 09/09/2010 15:37

Can I ask please why you went and not your DH?

He should be equally prepared to do the drop-and-run to nursery, non?

It shouldn't be down to just you losing days of leave

pumperspumpkin · 09/09/2010 15:43

Wanderingsheep (are you actually an astrakhan coat btw?), your friend is wrong - you can buy Calpol from any supermarket. There is a stronger CalpolSixPlus (or something like that) for 6 yr olds and up too.

Original poster

chaya5738 · 09/09/2010 15:47

But Sidge the old policy is that they didn't assess it - they just followed parents instructions. So I would be the one telling them to give the Calpol (and signing a disclaimer form to that effect)

OP posts:

bubbleymummy · 09/09/2010 15:57

Not sure if anyone else has said this but why are you rushing to bring down a temp of 37.8 anyway? It's not even a fever! (38 degrees is a mild fever) If she was otherwise fine and not showing symptoms she probably didn't need it. I don't understand why you would give Calpol for a mild cold unless she was genuinely miserable - in which case she would be better off snuggled up at home anyway.

seeker · 09/09/2010 16:01

How did the nursery know her temperature was 37.8?

diddl · 09/09/2010 16:11

I don´t think that nursery should be giving calpol tbh.

Surely if a child is "under the weather" they can be given calpol by parents before they go in to nursery.

If more than that is needed then they should be at home.

DanceInTheDark · 09/09/2010 16:14

Why did the nursery take her temp anyway? I

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/09/2010 16:16

I must beg to differ that children needing Calpol shouldn't be at nursery..took DD to GP on Tuesday, she wasn't unwell but had a bit of a sore ear, GP said there was no reason to keep her off nursery but to give her Calpol..I did and she has been fine at nursery, and indeed enjoyed it.

Megatron · 09/09/2010 16:17

Sorry but another YABU from me. I don't believe that nurseries should be administering Calpol. If a child needs Calpol I think they should be at home anyway, if it's such a mild fever they don't need it anyway IMO. It's a PITA, granted, but it comes with the terriroty of having a child at nursery.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 09/09/2010 16:18

I see you didn't read my post then re GP saying DD had no need to stay at home

mrsunreasonable · 09/09/2010 16:21

37.8 can be achieved by lots of running about not just illness and can be brought down easily by stripping child to nappy/pants and giving cold drink or rub down with tepid flannel. If this didn't work then you might consider calpol. Also I wonder why DH couldn't attend? If either of us get a call about having to collect poorly child we call the other and decide who can most easily leave work. If you were in a client meeting I would think (depending on his job) it would be him. It's not just the child that is 50/50 but the childcare too.

mumbar · 09/09/2010 16:32

I don't understand why giving an identical bottle of calpol to a child is different if it has a printed label on it. If a GP prescibes a bottle and nursery administer it it could still be covering up something more sinister as its the same stuff.

YANBU, my DS has antihistamine prescibed for every 4-6 hours as required. When pollen count really high he needed it regualary. School wouldn't administer it unless I get a bottle that said 4x a day. They also insisted keeping 2 identical bottle one for the regular and one in case he needed it Now he has a higher 1 shot dose in the morning and taken back bottle that says 4 x day in case of emergencies they are complaining it says that as he only needs it 4-6 hours when required.

I can see why they do it as a societ people are much more prone nowadays to lay blame rather than accept mistakes. At my school 2 staff members check the meds and its signed when given.

mumbar · 09/09/2010 16:33

My point is every 4-6 hours and 4x day are the same thing

pacinofan · 09/09/2010 16:37

Had this at my nursery, albeit briefly, whereby only Calpol on prescripion could be administered. DD1 had some mild teething pain and nursery asked that the Calpol was on prescription - my GP was extremely curt and point blank refused to issue a prescription, even though I explained the reason (i.e I am not a tight wad wanting a freebie!). He suggested we change nursery instead. Thankfully, the nursery changed their policy shortly afterwards. Can kind of see the GP's point of view, but think it's wrong that you can get it on prescription depending on who you see/where you live/ etc - my brother is routinely offered Calpol on prescription and never pays for it.

seeker · 09/09/2010 16:38

Actually, the more I think about it, the more bonkers I think it is to give calpol to an otherwise well child with a temperature of 37.8. Bonkers.

SecretSlattern · 09/09/2010 16:42

QS Thu 09-Sep-10 14:59:54
More convenient for you Chaya, or more pleasant for the child? I think most pleasant for the child would be to stay at home, if it was so ill the child needed calpol.

For teething pain my sons nursery was recommending calgel, or other teething gels, which they were happy to administer.

Ah, see now in my nursery, we do not adminster calgel or other teething gels because it involves putting your finger (gloved obviously) into the child's mouth and we are not allowed to put in/take out anything that is 'in' a child eg earrings, teething gel etc.

Wanderingsheep · 09/09/2010 16:50

Pumperspumkin, thanks for clearing that up. I'm glad that you can buy it for under 6s. You could the last I was aware. Dunno where she's got that from then . DD (3) was complaining of a headache the other day and we didn't have any in and I made a mental note to get some next time I went shopping. Would be a PITA to have to get a prescription when it's paracetamol.

And no I am not an Astrakhan coat! Bleaurgh!

castleonthehill · 09/09/2010 17:10

Just checked on the nhs website to check my facts but a child temperature is not considered high until 38c. You properly should have got a call to say she doesn't seam herself but to ask you to tell you to rush for a slightly raised temperature is a bit strange. Giving calpol for a temperature like that may cause it to drop to much. When one of my girls was small her temp drooped to 35 witch was just as bad. Calpol can be really dangerous it is really easy to give your child to much if different people give it to your child or you forget to write down when you gave it to your child.

zapostrophe · 09/09/2010 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

prozacfairy · 09/09/2010 18:20

It is a pain in the bum- my DD gets ear infections quite often and calpol would help alot. Luckily she's only at nursery for the mornings so only has to survive 5 hours in
stead of 9 or 10 a day. I usually dose her up before we set off and give another lot when I pick her up- if she needs it.

She's fine once she's had the calpol and loves being at nursery but if she's got a high temperature or in a lot of pain we stay home. I am not my bosses favourite person [shrug] I'd much rather get grief at work than be at work knowing I've left DD to be miserable somewhere where they can't give her some paracetomol. If she has a cold bad enough to need Calpol she doesn't go to nursery.

pink4ever · 09/09/2010 18:35

My dd is at nursey but not sure what their policy is on administering medicines.Know the school will only do it if you bring it in each day and sign a form specifying when and how much.Will need to find out!
As an aside to this thread a child at my dds nursery was ill the other day.nursery phoned mum to tell her and she said oh he will be fine.They then phoned again and told her he was still ill and upset so she sent her cm to fetch him.Cm was bitching about her!(eg shouldnt have sent him to nursery as was obviously ill,which was true looked awful).
No I am not bashing working mums before I get flamed(and yes I am sahm and proud of it)but do not understand how any mother could leave ill child at nursery quite happily?.

Sidge · 09/09/2010 19:11

chaya but they still need to make an assessment of need to determine over the phone whether you are happy for them to have Calpol. Paracetamol is an 'as required' medicine usually so someone somehow has to assess the need for it. Very different from a prescribed antibiotic for example which is given at a certain time, irrespective of any other conditions.

For example if they phoned and said "your child has a temperature, can we give her some Calpol" you'd say yes fine, see you tonight and I'll sign the form, and have no idea as to what is actually the problem, why she has the fever.

And for that matter a temperature of 37.8 isn't technically a fever in a child, so I can't see why they were so adamant that you needed to urgently give her Calpol. Had they reduced her clothing, got her to sit down quietly and have a cool drink?

xstitch · 09/09/2010 20:45

What I am shocked at is the nursery saying it was urgent to bring her temperature down from 37.8. Saying that would imply it was dangerously high. Which it definatley wasn't.

SmellyPirateHooker · 09/09/2010 20:52

The nursery I use administers Calpol, not been told anything has changed so I assume they still do. I would be very unhappy if they changed this policy.

I live in commuter-land and most people work in London (approx one hour away - if you get a good run and leave immediately!) it would be irresponsible IMO to refuse Calpol until a parent arrived. Waiting until a parent arrived could potentially be dangerous if a child gets a sudden temperature and they don't do anything to reduce it.

We do have to sign a form and give verbal permission at the time too.

Original poster

chaya5738 · 09/09/2010 20:58

Thanks everyone.

prozac fairy
"I'd much rather get grief at work than be at work knowing I've left DD to be miserable somewhere where they can't give her some paracetomol."

I completely agree with you and would drop everything and rush in if DD were actually very sick but in this case she was just a bit quiet (hence why they took her temperature) and it was nothing that Calpol didn't fix. Like I said, she was bouncing off the walls here at home once it kicked in.
I have since concluded it is probably teething.

I didn?t realize that 37.8 is not a temperature. I must say I was surprised to arrive and find DD playing with the train set and am now wondering whether the carer (who, like I said, had a streaming cold and wasn?t feeling the best) just wanted to get rid of her! Hmmmm?

When they called me I said that I would be there in an hour and they acted shocked and said I really must come straight away. Of course, being the guilty working mother I did lest I be criticized for being negligent!

My husband would help but his job is precarious at the moment so he can?t really being leaving work early.

Plan for tomorrow is to take her in to nursery and give her Calpol while there and hope for the best.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4 5