to not want to dose my kids with medicines when they have a cold

[RoadArt]

I am sick of being told to give my kids calpol, cough medicines, etc every time they get a cold. They dont work, other than mind over matter, they poison the body, they dont work and yet I am constantly pressured (by my family) to dose them up.

They get colds regularly so Im not talking once in a blue moon, Im talking on a regular basis, ie monthly, bi-monthly. They are constantly surrounded by other school kids with colds so the germs just keep being passed around.

I dont see the point of giving them medicines that dont make any difference.

Would you take any paracetamol if you had a cold and it's symptoms in order for you to feel better/function?

YABU paracetamol and decongestants work wonders when you have a cold or flu. Why would you not want to make your DC feel better?

I used calpol when I had a baby that had febrile convulsions, but other than cough medicine for real chesty coughs, and paracetomol for a bad headache, I have never dosed my kids up. Colds go on their own.

it is only OK if you refuse to take them yourself, however if you merrily pop the pills when you are sick it's just mean to deny your kids the same!!

I think choosing to use medicine or not should depend on the severity if the cold. The body's natural response to a cold is to heat up and kill of the bug so taking paracetamol etc can actually make the cold last longer but if you feel really awful and don't have the luxury of giving up and going to bed then taking something is a good choice.

I think if I were you I'd be looking at boosting the DCs immune systems, a monthly cold is not good, would be almost constant. What are their diets like, do they take a daily vitamin, get plenty of sleep?

you don't need anything for a cold imo - let their immune systems deal with it

I only give mine pain meds if they have a raised temp and or seem in pain or uncomfortable.

I think advice from others comes with the best of intentions but at the end of the day they're your kids so you'll always be making the decisions.
Don't stress so much!

What exactly do you mean by "they don't work"?

I never take meds myself unless I really need them and agree if your DCs are otherwise well/eating/don't have a high fever and are not moping around then YANBU.

However, these things do have their place and if they are feeling unwell then they should take them. I see where you are coming from as since DD started nursery she has had constant colds/viruses coughs etc and she could have been taking meds almost constantly. They are best kept for when they are needed, not for minor colds which is what I think you mean?

I agree. And I don't take over the counter meds myself.

I don't agree that they poison your body, if you thought like that all the time you'd never eat/drink/breathe again.

And as a painkiller calpol is good at its job.

Colds aren't too bad perhaps leaving them if your scruples mean more than their comfort, but you'd definately be unreasonable not to give painkillers if it were flu or some other painful illness.

I dont find that cough medicines and decongestants work for me which is why I dont like using them for my kids.

Their diets are very good.

And yes I am talking about common colds, not fevers, convulsions, flu, etc.

I sometimes give calpol but its more as a pacifier because my DH insists on it but it doesnt make the cold any better

ccough meds for kids are just glycerol, so mine get that, but i use calpol etc sparingly. viruses are killed by heat, so it makes sense to me that bodies heat up to fight them.

It doesn't make the cold itself better, I don't know of anything that does that - but it alleviates the symptoms and makes them more comfortable. I don't know how old your DCs are but when they are little they can't really describe the general symptoms of a cold - headache/sore face/throat etc it will just make them feel a bit better.

It won't make the cold better, or make it go away-it's for treating symptoms-discomfort/pain, head ache, high temp etc. I just treat as necessary, if DC's just snotty then nothing, but if miserable, and unwell, then treat as I would myself if I felt crap! Never into martyrdom! Also have 2 DC that fit at the drop of a hat, or rather a slight increase in temp, so always err on side of caution. But other DC treat symptoms as needed.

X post with Shaz, and nods approvingly! :o

I presume you wouldn't think of taking a couple of paracetamol if you felt rough?

thanks happymm!

So, your issue is that you thought Calpol and Nurofen are supposed to cure colds? Now you've found they don't, you think they are useless? Have I misinterpreted you?

They're painkillers at infant dosages. That's all.

cough meds don't work and are pointless. Decongestants can and do work (as expectorants) but honey can and does do the same thing, especially in small children.

I think it's mean to deprive children of calpol or neurofen if they are clearly suffering (not just temp, but other cold symptoms like sore throat, headache etc).

How old are they?

If under 6, then they shouldn't have any heavy-duty cold meds anyway, but if they're miserable, hot and in pain FFS give them some calpol

YABU

My mum was dead against medecine when we were growing up, so there was never paracetemol or other medecines around. I was introduced to paracetemol when I left home and I found that not only were colds more bearable, but that they would help you sleep it off. This is just anecdotal, but i think if a kid is suffering with a cold, then giving them a pain killer to help them sleep can only be a good thing.

Oh YABU.

I've got a cold at the moment an i have been practically mainlining Paracetamol.

Paracetamol does bring a temperature down but it's main effect is as a PAINKILLER.

Its cruel to make kids suffer when they don't have to.

Did/Do you ever give your kids painkillers when they are/were teething?

You're right in thinking they don't make the cold go away, but they can help alleviate the symtoms and generally make you feel less miserable.

So you're neither NBU nor BU.