To be reluctant to give calpol to DD

[wispywoo1]

DD (4 months) hasn't quite been right the past few days. She's been off her milk and started waking in the night when she has been sleeping 7-7 previously. She's slightly snuffly but happy end cheerful all day. I think it may just be a slight cold (which DH has), a wonder week or the dreaded 4 month sleep regression .

A few times my DM has said 'oh just dose her up on calpol, she will sleep better'. I'm very reluctant to do this and I don't know why. My DM keeps saying I'd be taking paracetamol/beechams if I had a cold. DD doesn't have a temp. Is this a normal thing to just give calpol willy nilly? Am I being mean by withholding?

[bumbleymummy]

eatsleep - you have to make sure they're drinking and have plenty of wet nappies. Symptoms to look out for are here - NHS

[pigeonpoo]

It's incredibly cruel to withhold pain relief from anyone in severe pain. For mild discomfort however - cuddles are fairly effective and probably get the endorphins going to reduce pain

A baby who is generally happy, is not in severe pain

No medicine is without risks

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

Pigeonpoo, I really struggle to identify pain vs over tiredness vs teeth vs hold me now vs wind in my youngest. She is 3 months and just cries so much more than my other two ever did. I'd be giving her calpol 6 times every single day if I tried to treat what I constantly wonder is pain. It probably is wind so I don't give her calpol. Plus she screams like in horrible pain then I pick her up and she instantly giggles at me. Then 10mins later roars in my arms again like she's been pinched so I think holding her is not solving things so is she in pain? Then she cons out and sleeps happily so I realise she was just overtired. Fuck knows with her. She's a tricky one but I just can't give calpol when I think she's in pain. It's far too often (and not often or constant enough to go to the doc).

[eatsleephockeyrepeat]

you have to make sure they're drinking and have plenty of wet nappies

Well yes bumbley but I think it still stands to give them some Calpol/Nurofen with a temperature to prevent this instead of just symptom watching. It's not like there are any proven notable negative side-effects. Each to their own though I guess; I used to be anxious about giving Calpol etc. to ds, but now I feel better if I do, all things considered.

[HackerFucker22]

I only offer Calpol (or Nurofen) for high temperatures and discomfort. A temperature on its own - whilst scary - is actually the bodies natural defence against infection. Don't get me wrong I always freak out with a temperature but I make assessments based on situation. For example I probably wouldn't wake my older DC if he was sleeping and had a high temperature (thankfully never had to deal with anything too worryingly high) and had no other symptoms but if he had been experiencing discomfort before falling asleep / seemed to be uncomfortable in his sleep then I would give medicine.

Basically medication is not my first option every time the kids get ill but I always have some in and will use it if I need to.

It certainly wouldn't even cross my mind to offer Calpol to help a child sleep its pointless as its not a sedative

[bumbleymummy]

eatsleep, as long as they're drinking and have plenty of wet nappies then I,personally, wouldn't be worried about dehydration being caused by a slight fever. The guidelines are to treat the fever only if it is causing the child discomfort and I'm happy to do that. If you feel happier giving your baby calpol just in case then that's your choice - as you say, each to their own!

[unimaginative13]

Polly, try some infacol if only 3 month

[Y0uCann0tBeSer10us]

"I give Calpol only if my children are in obvious discomfort or have a high temperature.
Drugging my children to make them sleep (whilst tempting!) doesn't sit well with me."

I could have written this

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

Unimaginative, it's actually on my shopping list for Tuesday! I'll give it a shot. Didn't really rate it for my ds but I'm ready to even try cranial osteopathy....

[unimaginative13]

They say give it 2 weeks but I felt it worked instantly.

[Cuttheraisins]

At four months, I wouldn't give anything, personally. You are extremely lucky that your DD was sleeping through the night! If she has a cold, others have suggested olbas oil on a muslin cloth close to her cot. I would only give calpol to such a young baby if there's obvious pain or high temperature, but just a mild temperature and waking up at night, I wouldn't. Night waking is absolutely normal for a baby that young.

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

I don't mean to contradict but I believe albas oil is highly toxic and I wouldn't put it anywhere the baby could accidentally suck on (my 3 month old is currently ducking clothes so a muslin within reach would worry me.