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

[RagamuffinAndFidget]

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?

Beaufort, if a baby is screaming in pain because of teething, most parents are going to give paracetamol for it.

oops - early post!

But they may try other things first - which sometimes work! I don't automatically take paracetamol if I feel a bit unwell. I'll try other things first.

It's rather amusing to see people judging others for giving age appropriate calpol to babies and toddlers for colds and yet advocating the use of vicks which isn't suitable for under 2's.

I've seen people make it very clear that Vicks isn't for children under 2, and I've said my son is 4. Also I've recommended Snffufflebabe as an alternative.

Your son is 4 mini and sensibly you have suggested snuffle babe for young children but others are still going on about Vicks on the feet of babies.

mini 3 layers of duct tape covers the nightlight on the calpol plug in pretty well

I heard this through the grape vine so take it with a pinch of salt.

Apparently someone once put Vicks on a babies feet and it caused blisters.

I've never tried it for 17month old he has calpol for colds or illness he has sniffle bath stuff and the baby vapour rub.

I also take paracetamol for headaches or colds.

Apologies for abandoning this thread overnight - DS3 actually slept very well so hopefully he's starting to feel better!

Just to respond to a few posts, having read through the replies:

• I haven't actually ever used the 'Vicks on feet' method (and won't, now that I know it's not suitable). When I said it seemed more sensible I meant because it's like a hot drink/Olbas Oil type thing - not medicated.
• When I have a cold (yes, I do know what one consists of, thanks!) I generally just get on with it. I will take paracetamol for a headache though.
• I don't deny my children medication ever, I just don't give it for every little thing. I do have friends who seem to give it as soon as their baby/child whinges, or even as a 'precaution' if said baby/child has been a bit grumpy and the parents think they might not go to bed easily.

That was where this post came from really.. I know Calpol has its uses but it really does seem to be becoming very commonly used in seemingly minor instances.

I don't deny my children medication ever, I just don't give it for every little thing. I do have friends who seem to give it as soon as their baby/child whinges

I don't understand why you wouldn't give it for minor things. Why would you let your child suffer unnecessarily, even slightly?

Because, in the case of a cold, it surpresses bodily responds to the infection (eg a slight temperature)! So unless there's evidence of actual pain or inflammation you're just prolonging the illness.

*responses

I don't think the OP is letting her child 'suffer' Cat. Sometimes you just don't need paracetamol - other things work fine to make you feel better and that's that.

Hope he's on the mend ragamuffin :)

Disappointed but it helps with the symptoms, so it might last longer but it'll be more comfortable.

bumbley but why are other things superior to paracetamol? What's wrong with it?

I don't get the people who won't take anything unless they're seriously ill. I'll take it all as soon as I feel crap as I'm lucky enough that science has given me ways to feel better.

No medals for martyrdom

I'm not being a martyr

The OP said her friends can give it every time the baby whinges/is a bit grumpy. I'm not sure why you think paracetamol should be the first point of call for something which could be wind/over tiredness/just wanting a cuddle. I'm not sure why you think paracetamol would be 'superior' in those cases.

I'm not after a medal Cat. And I don't think he's suffering really. He's not happy about having a cold and he probably wishes breastfeeding wasn't such a chore right now (as do I!) but he's not screaming in agony or completely unable to sleep. If he was then of course I'd give him Calpol.

I didn't ever say he was desperately unwell and that I would rather let him feel awful than give medicine, what I said was basically 'my DS has a cough and a cold and isn't sleeping very well [I assume largely because he can't nurse properly] and people are telling me give him medicine, is this normal?'

Exactly bumbley. I was able to (eventually!) soothe the baby with milk/cuddles/sling/dummy and he wasn't screaming the whole time (although he was obviously tired) so I just didn't see why medicine was necessary.

I don't take anything when I'm ill either. There's no cure for a cold confused plus I hate paracetamol!

That seems a bit daft to me, we are lucky we live in a society with access to modern day medicine that helps relieve symptoms of illness...why would someone deny themselves this?

And its not about "curing" the cold either, its about feeling better when you have it.

Calpol is paracetamol. If I have a cold I take lemsip which is also paracetamol so if my ds is miserable with a cold he gets paracetamol.

Babies are pretty good at signalling when something isn't right.

For DD, being able to suck her thumb to sleep was key from birth. A blocked nose meant she couldn't do that, so I did stuff to ease that: time in a steamy room, karvol on a cloth/sleeping bag, get any obvious snot off her nose etc. Soon as she could breathe through her nose she could suck her thumb and sleep (letting her body fight the infection). I'm sure a headache or ear pain would have resulted in proper wailing as it did occasionally with teething. In which case I'd absolutely give her calpol/calprofen. But as she was happy enough as long as she could suck her thumb she didn't need medicine!

I give it to ds if I think there is a possibility he is in pain/discomfort. He becomes very difficult to manage when in pain and so I take no chances.

Sorry but lemsip and calpol are two different things. One has a decongestant in it and the other doesn't. So unless your child has a temperature or is in actual pain, calpol has no medicinal benefit.

Lemsip has paracetamol in it.

lemsip contains paracetamol. so will relieve pain.

Lemsip contains paracetamol (painkiller) and a decongestant.

Calpol contains paracetamol. Ergo, no good unless there's pain. Does nothing to clear airways etc.

But it makes sense to give it if the child is ill because they can't tell you if it hurts