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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why people give so much medicine to their kids?

582 replies

RagamuffinAndFidget · 19/01/2016 22:47

I am totally open to being told IABU here, am just looking for opinions really.

DS3 (7mo) has a cough and a cold. I posted a 'go the fuck to sleep' type status on Facebook earlier and had lots of comments from friends telling me to give Calpol/Nurofen. For a cold? Really? Also some comments suggesting Vicks on his feet, which seems more sensible..

Do people really give Calpol every time their child has the sniffles? Is there actually a point to it, or is it just the done thing to dose a child up every time they cry now? Don't get me wrong, I do give my children medicine if they have a very high temperature or are in pain, but I try not to give it often, and I wouldn't give it for a cough/lack of sleep.

Is it just me?

OP posts:
LadyLuck81 · 20/01/2016 15:39

If I'm in pain I take painkillers. I don't suffer unnecessarily. Ergo I apply the same logic to my kids.

If I suspect pain I medicate. If they have a cough that sounds like it hurts rather than something ticket I try to reduce their pain as I would mine.

If they just sound snotty out comes the karvol and stints in a steamy shower room.

But criticising someone for medicating a child because they describe a cold is off. It may be a cold but if parent has had the same thing and felt headachey and sore and medicated themselves for it it's unreasonable to suggest they should leave their kid to suffer pain because they don't know for sure.

bumbleymummy · 20/01/2016 15:44

Honking, cat is saying it should be given 'just in case'.

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 15:47

"Another thing- I don't want my children growing up thinking that medicine is the first thing you reach for"

Do you want them to try prayer and sugar pills homeopathy first?

What seems to be the problem with a bit of paracetamol to make you feel better when sick? Confused

GingerCuddleMonsterThe2nd · 20/01/2016 15:48

But if a child/baby can't express they are in pain, surely we are giving it "just in case" even medical professionals.
We can not 100% be sure they are in pain can we?

BertrandRussell · 20/01/2016 16:00

"Do you want them to try prayer and sugar pills homeopathy first?"

Nope. I want them to try a breath of fresh air, a drink of water, a change of scene, a cup of tea, a few minutes rest. I want them to learn to know their bodies.

BertrandRussell · 20/01/2016 16:01

"giving it just for mild temperatures which I don't think anyone is saying they do."

Yes they are. People are suggesting giving it "just in case"

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:03

Mia - re "Its actually really, really easy to overdose on it [paracetamol]. There have been numerous cases on the news recently of people who have died from taking not that many (accidental) doses."

I just looked up the lethal dose of paracetamol and it's over 12g. Considering that a normal adult dose is 500mg, you would indeed have to be either very determined to kill yourself or monumentally stupid to manage to kill yourself with paracetamol.

There is a steady supply of both in the world so I'm not surprised that a few people do manage, of course.

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:05

"People are suggesting giving it "just in case""

Just in case of pain and suffering, like you feel when sick. Not just in case of mild fever.

honkinghaddock · 20/01/2016 16:08

I think people are saying just in case the child is in pain because there are some indicators that the child is in pain. I wouldn't class a mild temperature alone as an indicator.

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:08

"I want them to try a breath of fresh air, a drink of water, a change of scene, a cup of tea, a few minutes rest."

Drink of water? Change of scenery? What?

Have you never been sick in your life? Cup of water? Grin

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:16

Mia - Your article talks about people significantly exceeding the maximum daily dose consistently over a period of time - 1/3 with suicidal intent and many because they take more than one medicine containing paracetamol. Yes, that is not a smart thing to do.

BertrandRussell · 20/01/2016 16:18

"Have you never been sick in your life? Cup of water? grin"
Of course I have. Have you never had a headache that could be cured by doing that sort of thing? Or a slightly poorly child (the sort some posters would give calpol "just in case") who recovered after being distracted by a story, a drink, a walk? I certainly have.

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:23

I don't get headaches. I have had many colds, though, and none would get better with a glass of water or change of scenery.

You do realize that it is a viral infection, I hope. What is a breath of fresh air or a cup of water supposed to do?

Mia1415 · 20/01/2016 16:25

Yes it does in response to an earlier statement that "It is pretty hard to overdose on it, though and you have to be determined to swallow loads to cause yourself harm, which is what "relatively harmless" means."

Having worked in a pharmacy for many years, you would be amazed at the amount of people that don't realise all of the medicines that contain paracetamol.

Anyway, we have completely gone off subject here. This thread is supposed to be about giving paracetamol to a child with a sniffle :-)

BertrandRussell · 20/01/2016 16:28

Of course I know it's a viral infection- what a bizarre question!

It's what you can do to help yourself
feel a bit better we're talking about, aren't we?

BertrandRussell · 20/01/2016 16:29

Because paracetamol doesn't cure viral infections either, you know!

CoteDAzur · 20/01/2016 16:31

Yes, and how exactly do you expect a glass of water or a change of scenery help at all when you are in the grip of a viral infection?

arethereanyleftatall · 20/01/2016 16:31

Regarding the requesting of evidence...
Can there be that much evidence on the subject of children constantly having low doses of cal pol? I can't imagine many parents are lining up their kids to be tested on this. Why would you?
So, no I can't provide evidence that constant calpol in low dosage is harmful, but common sense suggests to me that it isn't good for you either.

Kr1stina · 20/01/2016 16:32

I wouldn't get headaches either if I lived in a sunny place like you, cote Envy

arethereanyleftatall · 20/01/2016 16:32

Effects of not subject

onecurrantbun1 · 20/01/2016 16:40

I do not give Calpol unless child is in pain or has an unusually high temperature. It has no sedative effect so will not make them sleep - apart from if pain is keeping them awake. However if they have a nasty cold and are clearly feeling unwell (headache, sore throat, muscle aches could conceivably all be present with "just" a cold) then I give it.

I am vvvv U in that I suck snot out of my babies noses though...

StellaAlpina · 20/01/2016 16:49

I think we only ever got paracetamol for a high temperature when we were kids...I think it's only thought of as a fever reducer in Italy as opposed to a painkiller (or at least it was 20odd years ago)

We got cough syrup for coughs and Vicks rubbed on for colds.

For a headache we'd get given a glass of water and camomile tea for tummy aches or hot water honey and lemon for a sore throat. My mum would do the same if it were her that was ill.

I still do the same as an adult, try a hot drink/fresh air etc first before getting a painkiller.

Adeleslostbeehive · 20/01/2016 16:54

I Think most people are sensible, using calpol etc when their child is exhibiting signs of pain. IE, when my 9m old is awake at 3am screaming and clutching her jaw, I'm not going to try a breath of fresh air and a drop of water, I know painkillers will likely help because she's exhibiting signs of pain. Around this perfectly normal approach you have the extremes- people who over use OTC medication when it's not needed and people who keep their children in obvious pain because they don't like using oTC medication. Both extremes are wrong. Luckily, most people aren't the extreme.

That said, I used to work In A pharmacy -although many moons ago -and we were told ibruprofen was linked to asthma in children, not paracetamol

solomon2003 · 20/01/2016 16:54

""Do you want them to try prayer and sugar pills homeopathy first?"

Nope. I want them to try a breath of fresh air, a drink of water, a change of scene, a cup of tea, a few minutes rest. I want them to learn to know their bodies."
Know your bodies? Most people don't even know what day of the week it is.