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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To suspect my nanny is drugging my child?

314 replies

Bambooshoot · 13/11/2016 22:29

I have a nanny for my son who is now eighteen months old, she has been with us since he was ten months old. I recently noticed that the level of the emergency bottle of Calpol had gone down dramatically and I know we have not given him any. I put a mark on the bottle to see if it would go down any further, and sure enough, it has. She is the only other person in the house. Is it possible for Calpol to evaporate over time, or is she giving it to him and not telling me/writing it in the book? If so, would IBU to sack her on the spot for endangering his health, in that we could have come home from work and given him another dose without realising? I suppose she could be taking it herself, at a stretch - I just think this is a pretty serious allegation and I don't want to upset the relationship by suggesting she is giving it to him if it can just dry up anyway?

OP posts:
Alorsmum · 13/11/2016 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MadHattersWineParty · 13/11/2016 23:08

Some Calpol is orange I think?

Lelloteddy · 13/11/2016 23:09

Underchips please tell me you're not a paeds nurse.......

crashdoll · 13/11/2016 23:09

You've clearly lost all trust in her and you can't continue employing someone that you mistrust.

On a slightly different note, my friend is 31 and takes calpol when she feels ill. She takes a couple of spoonfuls. I doubt it does anything but she claims it helps her immensely. I am very Hmm about it but say nowt.

TitaniasCloset · 13/11/2016 23:10

You need to be aware of any medicine given to your child. Anything at all. Small children cannot tolerate medicine in the same way as we can so there is a risk of overdose however small. Some people are under the impression that a bit if calpol will knock a child out for the night so you might be right OP. Yeah definitely talk to her, she should be telling you if she gives your child medicine.

TiredAndDeadly · 13/11/2016 23:10
sallysparrow157 · 13/11/2016 23:11

If I recall correctly baby calpol is pink, 6 plus is white and ibuprofen may be orange?? Orange flavoured anyway! Generic paracetamol suspension is usually white

TiredAndDeadly · 13/11/2016 23:11

I have parapaed paracetamol and it's orange.

Dr prescribed 'calpol' is orange too....

Where's the pink stuff gone?!?!

JinkxMonsoon · 13/11/2016 23:13

You can't get three types of Calpol

Sugar free and colour free - this is white
Sugar free - this is pink
Sugar plus colour Grin - pink also

Ditsy4 · 13/11/2016 23:13

I would remove the Calpol for a start. Then question the nanny about procedures. Stress the importance of writing it down / logging. Is she a trained nanny because if she is then it is more of a worry because medication is covered in training. If she isn't trained this may be part of the problem and if you want to keep her I would send her on a peds first aid course/ refresher. I would ring the provider to make sure they cover this aspect. If the child was in a Nursery then it would be logged.
She may have taken some herself...period pain, toothache?

hazeyjane · 13/11/2016 23:13

Sugar free and sugary infant Calpol is pink
Sugar free and sugary junior calpol is orange
Generic paracetamol liquid is usually white

JinkxMonsoon · 13/11/2016 23:13

You CAN get, not "can't", sorry!

paxillin · 13/11/2016 23:14

And then you can get Nonpol from every supermarket and drugstore as a homebrand in every colour of the rainbow.

sallysparrow157 · 13/11/2016 23:14

You'd need to take 40 ml of baby calpol (or 20ml of the 6plus) for an adult dose so it depends on the size of your friends spoons!

hazeyjane · 13/11/2016 23:16

Coo, I never knew you could get sugar and colour free calpol!

Sugar free tastes like the devils arse.

Rubies12345 · 13/11/2016 23:16

Did you ask your husband if he took some himself?

angelikacpickles · 13/11/2016 23:17

Why would she be giving him Calpol if he wasn't unwell?

madein1995 · 13/11/2016 23:18

I think YABU - just ask nanny! Even if she has been forgetting to write in book, I dont think it right to sack her right away - remind her of rules, give her a first warning but tbh sacking just for that seems very petty, ridiculous and you might have a nasty shock when PFB goes to school

KermitTheFudd · 13/11/2016 23:19

My first thought would be that she is using it for herself. Some adults do use it. However, you still need to ask her about it. Apart from anything else, she really should be buying her own instead of helping herself to your child's medicine.

Verbena37 · 13/11/2016 23:20

It's NOT just calpol.
It's paracetamol and it doesn't take much over the dose to take too much, with no going back.

Even if I had a nanny, I would be extremely cautious as to whether I'd allow her to give it to the child. I wonder if she thinks it will help him sleep .....obviously it wouldnt because it contains no sedative.

Ask her assertively why she has been giving it to your DS. Even if she had taken nearly the whole bottle herself over time, she shouldn't be taking your medicine.....she should bring her own.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 13/11/2016 23:22

Over how long has she given them a whole bottle?

mortil2 · 13/11/2016 23:23

Just want to clarify there are two types of carpool. Infant carpool containing 120 mg/5mls and carpool 6+ which contains 250mg /5 mls

And for goodness sake the dose of 60 mg/kg is IN 24 HOURS in divided doses

Original poster
Bambooshoot · 13/11/2016 23:30

Well, I will set aside the posters that say I'm unhinged and a troll. Yes, I absolutely agree I am paranoid (and very possibly unhinged, but not just because of this!), but he is my only child and I defy anyone not to be worried in similar circumstances - I'm only asking if Calpol dries up, not whether you can give me your bank account number or money for my sick penguin or some such) - this would be a pretty feeble trolling thread, surely?! It is a 140ml bottle of 140mg/5ml sugar free suspension, it is pink and I would say since I noticed it had been disappearing the level dropped by 2.5cm before I took it away.

The consensus is that Calpol does not dry up, but it seems some adults do take Calpol themselves (though why she wouldn't tell me that, I do not know!) so I will bear that in mind. I posted because in my view I am basically saying to my nanny that I believe I have caught her lying to me, so the trust is broken, and I have no option but to terminate her employment, since I cannot let her look after my child any more. Once I say something like that I can't unsay it. This is serious in my mind, (and this is a girl's livelihood here) so I wanted to be sure I was not mistaken.

If you could let me know the details of the beheading service though, I'd be very grateful . . . .

OP posts:
paxillin · 13/11/2016 23:32

Make sure your DH or any other adult family member or person with access to your house (cleaner, neighbour...) hasn't taken it before you accuse her though.

avamiah · 13/11/2016 23:34

OP
"Drugged" is a very strong word to use and my advice would be to take your child to A&E and explain your concerns and take the bottle of Calpol with you.