DD not given medication due to 'paper work'

[DraggleTailedWench]

Still fuming hours later so I need to get this off my chest.

My 11 mo has eczema, has been prescribed cream for a time to be used throughout the day. The box has contrary instruction so the nursery have said they need to have word from the doctor to give it to her. It doesn't say the instructions in full on the printed sticker from the chemist for some reason. I think its fair enough as they aren't medical professionals at nursery.

The problem is the doctor. Firstly the receptionist refused to let me speak to the doc who prescribed the medication as they aren't my daughter's registered doctor. Then the registered doc calls me up and says he refuses to email or phone or write a note for the nursery as it is a waste of NHS time and money!

Thankfully I can still administer the cream at home and the effect over a day wont be detrimental. BUT this is prescribed medication that I'm being prevented from giving DD, firstly by procedures in nursery (that are fair enough) and then by doctor! Ridiculous.

[Dawndonna]

I do wonder if you are being entirely fair. Are you aware of the side effects of hydrocortisone. I know that your child is just one. But if one person at a nursery is doing more than one child on a daily basis, that's a fairly high dose of hydrocortisone they're getting. Personally I wouldn't encourage nurseries to administer at all unless gloves are used.
Having said all that, I am really funny about it due to the hydrocortisone scars I'm covered in, so it may be that I'm the odd and unreasonable one in this scenario.

[catkind]

hydrocortisone scars? how do you get those? (if you don't mind my asking). I was on stronger steroids than that throughout childhood, put on daily, and don't have any scars. nursery worker i expect would wear gloves anyway, but as long as they wash hands afterwards they'd be fine.
[sorry, bit off topic, but OP really don't worry you've been prescribed something dangerous, it's fine as long as you follow dosage instructions]

[LadyMargolotta]

Does she really need the cream more then twice a day? As you say, you can still administer the cream at home and the effect over the day won't be detrimental.

I have only ever used it once a day at most for my ds, because it becomes less effective over time and because of the potential damage it can do to a child (in your case a baby)'s skin.

[OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos]

I can completely understand where the nursery is coming from. You are expecting them to put themselves in a very vulnerable position, and that is very unfair on the individuals that work there.

I work with small children, and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a risk with someone else's child that I might be putting too much on that could result in damage, or not using enough and being blamed for it not working. Nursery workers aren't paid enough to worry about that sort of thing I'm afraid. Especially when administering this medication involves a nursery worker rubbing a child's body. This would have to be done with two members of staff present to protect them from accusation, which takes them away from other children. I have given children medicine plenty of times, but it is different when you have an exact dose to give, that can be measured out then checked and witnessed by a colleague. We have to have two signatures on a form when giving medicine, one from the person giving it and one from the witness, and it protects both the staff and the child from being given the wrong dose.

A solution could be that you get the doctor to prescribe an exact amount of the cream and supply the nursery with some kind of measuring device so that it is easier for them to cover themselves.

[Dawndonna]

Cat
I'm old, I was first put on various (strong) creams/ointments when they didn't know that they thinned the skin and that you shouldn't go out in the sun when using. I don't think most nursery workers are aware of the this.

[BartletForTeamGB]

Yes, we just use it once a day as well. We use Aveeno more frequently.

[LadyMargolotta]

We use a vaseline based cream, it works very well. Never had to use it more then twice a day. I keep the steroid cream for a big flare up, and even then, try and limit it to just one or two days of use.

[OHforDUCKScake]

You shouldnt use steroid cream more than twice a day on skin so young. My son saw a dermatologist when he was 12 months because his skin was a wreck.

Can you not just do it morning and night?

[LadyMargolotta]

That's what I was thinking OHforDUCKScake.

[porcamiseria]

It was meant as a last resort...somewhat flippantly

you would report me to the police, sweet jesus!!


but agree, pay them, get letter done, job done

it costed me me £20 to get my "she is pregnant but can fly letter"