To give DS a drop of dozol?

[Sqee]

Sent DP to get a bottle today as DS (3yo) Has had a really bad cold the past couple of days and is finding it hard to stay asleep (coughing ect) and he is just miserable. I've only used dozol once when he had just turned 2 and he was fine with it.

Apparently the age has changed since then from 2yo to 6yo. The reason for this is because apparently parents were using it every night for their children (no judgment here) Not sure what to do, DP says he will be fine with it and he needs a really good night's sleep.

Help!

I wouldn't, but that's my opinion.

Medicines have a recommended age for a reason.

And the age wasn't changed "just because parents were using it every night" (don't actually kow specifics of Dozol but assume it is in teh camp with Medised etc.). It was changed on the basis of MEDICAL risk versus MEDICAL benefit.

give him half the dosage

I wouldn't. If anything did happen you would be negligent. I read that the age restriction has changed in these medications because they have been found to cause breathing difficulties in some younger kids. Plus as a pp says now that the lower age limit has been changed they can put things in it that aren't suitable for 0-6 yos.

Also meant to say take him to the GP tomorrow and they will be able to give something similar on prescription (or even the same thing) and you will know it's safe.

That was my original plan, He's just been to miserable today poor wee thing. Just wanted to give him a good sleep. GP tomorrow it is! He'll probably be bouncing about by then anyways. Making a liar out of me hehe!

I wouldn't and that's my professional opinion. As haunted said its the same idea as medised. I n use monitoring and studies from the states suggested there was little benefit other than placebo but a great risk of side effects. Those under 6 are more prone to these side effects and are also not old enough to articulate fully if they have these side effects.

I have pages and pages of evidence and copies of the MHRA guidance letters but they are packed away and I am tired after work.

Hope you DS is better soon.

"The reason for this is because apparently parents were using it every night for their children": this is not correct.

The reason it was withdrawn was because of the risk if side effects (including, rarely but seriously, heart arrhythmia). As xstitch said, the new age guidelines are based on research (little/no benefit over just paracetamol, but definite risks).

It is fine to give it to your child if a doctor recommends it or prescribes it (they have expertise in risk/benefit of drugs). But it is not considered safe enough for OOC use in infants. (Bit like banning gripe water a generation ago!)

Meant to add my dd is almost six (a matter of weeks) I won't be giving it to her.

I heard that gripe water was banned but it is till available at my local pharmacy!! How confusing! (What is it even for, I heard it contained gin?)

My SiL told me the age was put up because of over use when I rang her earlier. She said her sister was told this by her pharmacist in dublin because her children (3yo and 5yo) couldn't sleep unless they had their nightly dose of dozol. Crazy no?

Ok dozol binned, DS snuggled up and "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus" book series set up! (Oh and DP well and truly red faced and ranting! Yay for me!)

Some parents sadly did use things like dozol, medised and phenergan to sedate their children and make them sleep and obviously increased use would increase the risk of side effects becoming apparent. The age change however was more complicated than that with more contributory factors.

e.g The American Journal of Pathology reported Sudden Infant Deaths where The active ingredient in these medications was implicated. While some studies suggested that this was more likely to be overdose others suggested that the risk was not in fact dose dependent. Some children seemed unaffected while others had the severe side effect. Early indications are that a deficiency in a particular enzyme may increase a child's risk of an adverse event, unfortunately you are unlikely to know if your child has this deficiency. None of the British studies have yet attributed a death solely to the use of this medication however they have shown the dangerous side effect.

The side effects can range from paradoxical excitation to the very dangerous heart arrhythmias, convulsions and breathing irregularities eg a thickening of bronchial secretions (not what you want when they already have the cold)

Oh and gripe water was alcohol based.