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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get really annoyed when people suggest Calpol for overtired kids?

48 replies

ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 08:10

Since when did paracetamol have sedative properties? And if it did, would it be right to dope them? And surely using drugs to medicate your children when they're not actually ill is totally irresponsible?

How come it's socially acceptable to say this? Thread on my FB feed just now about it, everyone's having a real hoot. Am I just having a sense of humour failure or what?

Angry
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QueenOfFlamingEverything · 15/09/2010 08:13

Oh its annoying isn't it.

I used to see this a lot when DD was younger. Friends would say, oh some Calpol will get him/her off - and I'd wonder how, if s/he didn't havea temperature or any kind of pain Hmm

Ceebee74 · 15/09/2010 08:16

No, I agree with you tbh.

One of my friends gives her DC Calpol at the drop of a hat and is always suggesting I give it to mine when they are being whingy/fussy etc which is usually because they are tired and don't know what to do with themselves!!

I can probably count on one hand the number of times DS2 has had calpol and he is nearly 2! I generally only use medication if they are showing other signs of illness, rather than just whingy/low-level crying - such as an obvious cold, or proper screaming etc.

StealthPolarBear · 15/09/2010 08:22

Well I use calpol if they're really screaming for no apparent reason, not sure if that's what you mean? DD though was screamy last night but she was obviously tired and grumpy so didn't, but if they're screaming for no reason I do think maybe they're in pain.

Original poster
ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 08:23

The thing is, I know myself how amazingly quickly a dose of kids Nurofen or Calpol will get DS off to sleep if he is sore or fevery. But it's fairly obvious that this only happens because they can absorb liquid medication much faster than we absorb a tablet, and it gives really quick relief when they feel too crap to sleep.

It's unheard of for an adult to pop a Panadol to help them sleep ... it just strikes me as a really thick thing to do, and little organs don't need to be made to work hard simply for their parents' convenience - not that it even works.

[bashes head off desk]

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Original poster
ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 08:24

SPB if there's a chance there's pain and nothing else works then fair enough. I'm talking about a mum who's complaining that her 6 year old is overtired and hyper and other mums on FB have commented to give her Calpol.

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Callisto · 15/09/2010 08:26

Calpol is a wonder drug if the child is poorly anyway. To use it as a sedative when the child is well is beyond stupid.

I remember being shocked to the core when someone on here said they used Medised to get their child to sleep every night. Lots of people agreed with her, and lots of people said they used it to ensure their children slept while flying.

picc · 15/09/2010 08:28

No I really agree.

I'll give it if DS has woken up 2 or 3 times in the space of a few hours and just screeeeamed. He's only 19 months and can't tell me what's wrong, but usually if he wakes up he's pretty easily settled with a hug/ cup of water or whatever.

If it's just a one-off, or it's at bed-time, I'll just assume it's something else, and try and settle him in other ways.

Might sound cruel, but I think it's more cruel to shove paracetamol into his system for my convenience.

Tiredmumno1 · 15/09/2010 08:34

Blimey no one has ever said that to me.

I would only give it if they have a temp or in pain, seems a bit daft to give it for no reason.

DuelingFanjo · 15/09/2010 08:36

YANBU, my baby isn't even here yet and lots of people are already trying to shove Calpol down its throat.

shazbean · 15/09/2010 08:38

How odd! My DD bounces off the walls about half and hour after Calpol, it certainly wouldn't help her sleep! I'm not precious about these things but once I realised it was the Calpol and looked at the ingredients..its got 5 or 6 E numbers in it.

Nurofen is the wonder drug in our house but its only given when needed. I agree in younger children if you don't know what is wrong then it could help but to get to sleep??? Confused

arses · 15/09/2010 08:41

Calpol used to have a sedative ingredient in it, didn't it? I know my parents used to give it to the little ones in our family to "help them sleep".

I would pop a Panadol to help me sleep if I was in pain, though. So if I thought ds was in pain, I would medicate him. He has had Calpol a few times while teething.

megonthemoon · 15/09/2010 08:43

I know people who have got into a bit of a stand-off with their slightly older children where child has been ill so had calpol before bed for a few days and then starts demanding it at bedtime and getting worked up so parents give in and give calpol when it's no longer needed but they can't find the energy to say no. It's crazy - be the bloody parent and just say no!

I work in the pharma industry so not suspicious of medicines (although maybe I have more of an understanding of the balance of pros and cons of them than many others), but I still never give it to my child unless it is obvious he is in pain or has a fever. In those situations it can often be a wonder drug, but in other cases it is actually just poor parenting to use them.

As for the Medised thing, words fail me. So very wrong on so many levels - all for the convenience of the parents, not at all to do with the child.

borderslass · 15/09/2010 08:47
Original poster
ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 08:48

megonthemoon I too have some background knowledge of pharmacology and I realise that as drugs go, paracetamol is fairly innocuous. But it isn't a sedative. An overtired child is as likely to respond to a Polo mint as they are to paracetamol. Really makes my blood boil.

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Rosedee · 15/09/2010 12:32

My mum suggested calpol recently to "help my son sleep". I explained to her it didn't have a sedative in and she was therefore daft. She said she was sure she gave it us when we were babies. I just said it would have been daft then as well.

cupcakesandbunting · 15/09/2010 12:40

YANBU. Calpol is rubbish. They should be suggesting Medised for overtired kids.

chaya5738 · 15/09/2010 13:07

Ooooh, thanks for the suggestion about Medised! We are going to fly 26 hours straight (not counting 2 hour trip to Heathrow and 3 hours checking in plus immigration in LA and immigration at final destination, so more like 35 hours) with 18 month old. I wanted to ask for tips on how to drug her but thought I'd get flamed...

:D

MorrisZapp · 15/09/2010 13:24

Haven't got LO yet to can't comment on kids medicine, but can I just say...

As a life long insomniac myself, I hate hearing people say 'you should only take medicine when you need it' meaning pain, infection etc when for many, being unable to sleep is needing it.

Only a true numskull would routinely give a small child a sleeping pill unless advised by the doc - they lose their efficacy that way and the kid would start to rely on them.

But sometimes there is a need to take a sleeping pill - becuase you cannot sleep. I do it myself, not for my 'convenience', but because I need to.

Is it 'convenient' to take anti biotics or pain killers?

Original poster
ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 13:26

MorrisZapp - paracetamol has no sedative effect. It gives pain relief and relieves fever. It does not sedate.

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MorrisZapp · 15/09/2010 13:30

Then why are people giving it to their kids to help them sleep?

Original poster
ThatDamnDog · 15/09/2010 13:30

My point exactly ...

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happystressedmum · 15/09/2010 13:32

I think it is shocking. I know people who did and and totally disagree!

colditz · 15/09/2010 13:33

Often, an inexplicably whingy baby will drop like a stone after a dose of Calpol.

It's not that the calpol makes the child sleep, it's because it reduces the child's pain adn ALLOWS the child to sleep.

MorrisZapp · 15/09/2010 13:35

Ok so if it doesn't work as a sleep aid, then why are we accusing parents of using it for their own convenience?

It isn't convenient after all, if the kid doesn't fall asleep.

I don't have LO yet so am asking this as genuine q.

ApplesandBananas · 15/09/2010 13:38

Why is it wrong to give a child Medised on a long flight? It helps them deal with any discomfort from ear pressure, deals with nausea as it's an anti-histamine, and helps them sleep and rest (rather than throwing up/getting hysterical from over-tiredness). Where's the cruelty in that?

Agree it shouldn't be used every night, but I cannot see why using it once or twice a year on a long flight is frowned upon. I take it myself when flying, it's marvellous.

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