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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

would you use medised despite guidelines?

105 replies

pamelat · 08/01/2011 21:24

Medised used to be for 6 months plus, then changed to 2 years, now apparently changed/changing to 6 years.

My friend is GP and has told me its because parents were combining with calpol and over dosing their children, and also because parents were using it to sedate

My DS has yet another chest infection. He is 8 months old, big robust baby.

He is full of cold. He can not breathe. He can not sleep. Literally he can not sleep, he will doze off and 20 mins later wake crying. Have been alternating calpol/nurfon and using teething powders all day et nothing is working.

His big sister is 3 and we used medised with her when she was 2 (it was allowed then)

I dont have medised in the house. DD not needed any for a long time, am thinking of getting some tomorrow and giving it DS, just 2.5 ml at night for him to breathe/sleep

What do you think, unreasonable/irresponsible or practical/necessary?

OP posts:
Seona1973 · 08/01/2011 22:12

the anti-histamine in medised can cause sleep disturbances and hallucinations and that is why the age was changed to 6+ (nothing to do with overdosing). You can get a saline squirty thing for babies as well as nasal drops. You can also get vaporisers that give off vapours to help clear noses - ds loves the smell of albas oil!!

PaisleyLeaf · 08/01/2011 22:13

That's surprises me that a GP would say the guidelines changed because of something parents were doing wrong (combining it with calpol?).
Wasn't it because of hallucinations, side effects and being linked to the deaths of some children?
As well as that there is no evidence that the medicines actually have any medical benefit.

CountessVonKnackerstein · 08/01/2011 22:16

Doesn't Piriton have the same effect?

CantSleepWontSleep · 08/01/2011 22:20

It used to be from 3 months, incidentally, not 6.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 08/01/2011 22:26

No I wouldn't. Gave it to my 7 year old recently as we had run out of calpol and had a nightmare. He couldn't sleep and said his mind was racing, was quite distressed for some time. Bottle went straight into the bin after that. His older sister had it once with no ill affect.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 08/01/2011 22:48

The saline that SOH was talking about is the same as the calpol thing I was talking about so if you've tried one the rest are pretty much the same.
Can totally sympathis though we are getting no sleep, DS2 has been cuddled up to me for the past 3 nights he is really miserable as well.

Booandpops · 08/01/2011 22:57

I used it on my dd from six month ( now 5). My son is 3 and has had it a few times. Mainly when he had chicken pox as he couldn't sleep. I'd use it again. When I got my last bottle I sent hubbie to chemist and told him to say dd was six. they gave it to us no issues
We don't use it a lot and I prefer to use nurofen or calpol but I would not rule it out. Dosage wise you need to check the mgs per ml havnt changed from the old medicine as dosage on paracetamol goes up slightly when a child reaches approx six yrs. Ask doc or pharmacist advice on that one.

iloveyankees · 08/01/2011 23:04

Sorry have never used Medised but I know someone who use to use it to knock there kids out Hmm

When my kids were full of cold when babies my HV advised to put a spoonful, of vics in a bowl with some hot water (obviously well out of reach)

onimolap · 08/01/2011 23:05

Dozol is not for the under twos, other medicines with the same active ingredient (Calpol night and Calcold) are restricted to over 6s, and panadol night to over 12s.

Mumcah · 08/01/2011 23:42

Yes I have used it with DS who is 7 months. Only when he had a terrible cold.

StartingAfresh · 08/01/2011 23:47

No, it is unreasonable and irresponsible!

The ingredients used to be considered safe for babies then it was decided that they aren't.

Now you may or may not agree with that particular statement.

HOWEVER, the regulations that will have gone into the medicine ingredients when it was allowed for under 2's can, and most certainly will be replaced by cheaper ingredients that are only licenced for use in medicines OVER the age of 2.

If not, they are certainly at liberty to change their ingredients to those that are allowed in medicines for over 2, but potentially harmful to babies, and if this happens and your baby is damaged, it is YOUR fault for not following the instructions, NOT the drug company's!

BuzzLightBeer · 08/01/2011 23:52

dozol was given to me by the GP for an under two.

Mists · 08/01/2011 23:55

I'm not surprised it can cause hallucinations, I had an awful cold once and took a swig out of a bottle when I went for a pre-assessment for an op to treat a tooth abscess. I was terrified that the op would be postponed and the relentless pain had made me desperate.

Anyway it dried the cold up a treat but the nurse interviewing was prompted by my appearance and responses to ask me which particular recreational drugs I was using Shock

onimolap · 08/01/2011 23:59

There is a world of difference in being given a medicine by a doctor (they are trained to prescribe drugs) and how a lay person might use an OTC drug. Think of it as like a prescription.

Piriton has a different active ingredient, and is not for under one year old.

Original poster
pamelat · 09/01/2011 09:39

He managed 3 hours sleep in 1 hour blocks Sad he and I and DH very tired.

He has out of hours appointment at 1030am with a GP, hoping for anti biotics.

I didnt realise the contents had changed. I think my GP friend (also with a toddler) has not realised either. If we are officially told/presribed something to clear the cold then I am more than happy to use it though Grin I need some sleep soon.

OP posts:
ArthurPewty · 09/01/2011 10:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Teachermumof3 · 09/01/2011 10:04

It always used to be from 3 months, actually.

I've used it with all of my children from this age-sparingly, following the original dosage. It's brilliant at drying up bad colds and helps them to sleep. My brother who is a GP uses it on his young children, too.

ArthurPewty · 09/01/2011 10:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onimolap · 09/01/2011 10:13

Pamelat: let us know how you get on. Perhaps the doctor will OK the medised

earwicga · 09/01/2011 10:15

I also know someone who uses it to knock out their kids.

I do use it though at night-time if the kids are ill, but mine were over 6 when I first heard of it. No side effects here.

I got one of those plug-in things and used to put olbas oil on the pad thingy.

Also vicks or olbas oil in a cup of warm water on the rad works well.

BelleDameSansMerci · 09/01/2011 10:22

Piriton syrup is also now only for over 6 years - I tried to get some a few weeks ago for DD(3).

I have used Medised with DD since the advice changed but I had a bottle from when the guidelines were 3 months and over. I then bought another bottle and compared the ingredients. They were the same. Having said that, I haven't bought any for a year and they may have changed in the interim (and, of course, it depends how old the stock was that I bought last year).

auntpolly · 09/01/2011 10:23

I've been asked this a few times (training to be a MW).The advice was changed for a few reasons. The cough suppressant (also the sedative) in medised is also present in night time cough syrups (which used to be available for under 6s). Some parents inadvertently overdosed their babies on antihistamine or paracetamol or both when using medised with other drugs.
The cough suppressant is thought to be ineffective in small children and where babies are congested, fighting off a virus or bacterial infection (and have lower oxygen saturation) drugs that act as a sedative are best avoided.
I don't know if the composition of the drug has changed, but who's to stop them if they are no longer printing dosage for under 6s on the bottle? Definitely worth a chat with your GP first.

ArthurPewty · 09/01/2011 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onimolap · 09/01/2011 10:34

Sorry, last message cut off too soon. Itnshould have said:

Pamelat: let us know how you get on. Perhaps the doctor will OK the medised or a suitable alternative based on this particular illness in this individual child.

Hope he improves soon, and that you all get some sleep.

coccyx · 09/01/2011 10:40

Yes i have and yes i do.