Calpol!

[Poliosmolio123]

Why does everyone always jump to using Calpol straight away and it's always the first bit of advice they give?

Baby sad, ah must give them calpol
Baby teething Calpol!
Baby has a temperature raised by 0.2 of a degree, oh they need calpol
Baby not sleeping - give them Calpol!

Like, is it only me who just doesn't like the stuff or want to medicate my child willy nilly?

Its the first thing any of my family members do or say and it makes me feel like a shitty parent for not wanting to give it to them! Obviously I would if I was advised by a HC professional.

Is this totally unreasonable?

YABU - I use Calpol all the time
YANBU - I don't use it all the time

Don't get me started about anbesol.

I have no judgy pants on as such, im just widnering if maybe I don't use it enough and am potentially damaging my child by doing so

Nice try.

The whole post (and follow ups reek of judgement)

Haven’t read the full thread but I imagine the op is a first time parent of one child.
OP, I have never heard of capol being given as an answer to all the problems or issues a baby has, strange that’s what you hear.
The majority of parents are doing their absolute best and don’t administer pain relief casually.
You sound like you are projecting a bit “ I’m the best parent unlike all these losers dosing their dcs up with additive-filled pain relief” .
Luckily for me my children have rarely needed pain relief but if they are in pain as a result of an infection or a tooth coming through completely hard gum (which must be excruciating), I gave them pain relief. My dfs parents were very
“ alternative” ( I have no idea what this means now tbh but it’s what they call themselves) and he remembers being in agony with ear infections that weren’t treated with antibiotics ( he now suffers with permanent tinnitus and hearing loss as a result of infections damaging his inner ear) and also not given any pain relief whatsoever, he was a child and couldn’t ask...
My babies were comforted first by breastfeeding and if needed pain relief. Now my children are a bit older, it’s great that they can say “I’ve got a bad headache “or whatever and “can I have some pain relief” . They are rarely ill.

There’s not forcing you though are they. It’s just a suggestion, which presumably you asked for. It’s fucking calpol ffs it’s not like they want you rub coke on its gums, get over yourself

Btw , if needed in cases where they had a tooth coming through bleeding gums and were waking multiple time pulling at their mouth and tooth area, an infection (confirmed with a swab and drs visit). Nobody I knows gives it randomly or to help their kids to sleep as it doesn’t help kids sleep at all unless they are in pain.
You may have what’s known as a “superiority complex”.

Good on you.

For my child it is helpful. It is clearly evident when they are in pain, bit concerning if you can’t pick up the different cues tbh

If you don’t want to or don’t feel any need to use it then don’t. It’s just something people say isn’t it

“Oh I’ve got a headache”

“Have you taken a paracetamol?”

I doubt anyone thinks about it in any depth.

Ambesol is hardly crystal meth

I worried about giving it and my DD ended up in hospital twice with a fever of 41. Suspected sepsis both times but actually was tonsillitis. If I'd given calpol earlier I have no doubt we'd have avoided those visits. Although Calpol has sorbitol so we now use the Tesco own brand as she projectile vomited calpol whenever it was given.

I had a wisdom tooth come through recently and the pain was surreal (I’ve had all natural births OP without any pain relief). The pain I felt was a a lot worse than labour and the idea that I couldn’t ask for pain relief is actually really disturbing. Also I’d say it’s similar to what some babies might feel when teeth push through (not all but some of my dcs suffered very badly with back teeth) .

@Poliosmolio123 but why. I judge. You give your kid Calpol as prevention, in my eyes that is wrong. You give your kid Calpol when he's running 39 fever - that is needed and required.

Teething is a grey area, I wouldn't use it as no one can tell if it is really teething but if a baby screams itself hoarse while having red gums and I am absolutely sure he is in pain then I would not hesitate. But "just in case" or "maybe it will help" that is wrong.

I think Calpol have done remarkably well at marketing over the years tbh. It definitely is seen as the ‘go to’ solution for a lot of problems.

Why would you not give calpol to a teething baby in pain

@ZooKeeper19 That was my stance also, but, got shot down by the parents who use it. Obviously I'd use it if my baby was blatantly in pain or had a high temperature. Not jsut in case. Oh well!

[quote Poliosmolio123]@ZooKeeper19 I'm in two minds after this thread! Obviously I just don't give a crap about my child enough to give her Calpol at every whim or every cry. Lots of upset parents here, lots of name calling.[/quote]
@Poliosmolio123 - there is a middle ground between never ever giving calpol and giving it all the time - and I’m sure you can find it. Part of it is knowing your own child - you spend the most time with her, so you are learning to read her non- verbal cues, and to recognise when she is in pain - and if she is in pain, calpol is a sensible option.

It is also good if she has a fever, because paracetamol helps to lower the temperature.

It’s like all drugs - a good, sensible option when used correctly. Obviously it isn’t sensible to over use it, but if you aren’t sure whether it will help a grizzly, under-the-weather child, one dose isn’t going to do them any major harm, even if it does no good - better the occasional unnecessary dose than leaving a child in discomfort that could have been relieved, imo.

No nerves here, but I'm not bragging about being above medication 🤷🏻‍♀️ you do come across as insufferable, just so you know.

I’ve never heard of anyone using it as “just in case”, maybe it’s the circles you’re in OP..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-44140151/are-we-using-too-much-calpol

There was a documentary done a couple of years ago into whether parents were using too much Calpol these days building an immunity to the effectiveness of paracetamol much in the same way as antibiotics. Might be of interest to you?

@Staplemaple - haven't tried any others yet so will get another to try. Don't bottle feed, she won't have a bottle either 😭

Thanks 😊

I gave liquid paracetamol if...

• child/baby has temperature and is unhappy
• ds has a temperature (this has been recommended by his hcp)
• if child/baby seems in pain and other methods of calming don't work.
• when ds has been in hospital and it is recommended.

Each of my children are different, dd1 hardly ever had any, dd2 had more for a series of chest infections(which caused her to have high temps which made her miserable) and ds has complex medical needs so has needed it at times when I might not have given it to my other children.

Anbesol (the liquid) is the mutts nuts, and we still use it now for ulcers and tooth ache. Just keep it out of the way of curious toddlers who think a teeny bottle of liquid is irresistible and downs half the bloody bottle....

[quote Poliosmolio123]@Todaywewilldobetter no i dont actually no how to use it! 😅 I just heard from other parents how they used it purely because 'it's knocks em out, it's like giving a little, bit of brandy, doesn't hurt'[/quote]
So you admit you've got no idea what youre talking about, and you've just got your judgeypants all the way up your arse!?

Anbesol is a topical anaesthetic, you put a bit of the gel or liquid on your finger and use it to numb your baby's gums.

We used Calpol very rarely with my eldest and ended up regretting it. Not using it mean't that when he really needed it (hot and in pain from an ear infection for example) getting him to take it was a battle when he was already feeling awful. I now think if your child is under the weather try it. It is better that they are accustomed to taking it when they need it.

@lissyloulou1 it could just be the flavour etc so worth trying others, the generic brands for the same age range have the same mg of paracetamol in so worth just trying them until you find one. Sometimes a spoon can be a bit more successful than the syringe as well.

That was my stance also, but, got shot down by the parents who use it. Obviously I'd use it if my baby was blatantly in pain or had a high temperature. Not jsut in case. Oh well!

Did you get shot down by parents for not using it 'just in case'? That's not what I have seen in this thread.

Your comments reek of judgement for parents who use calpol without being instructed to by a HCP. That does not mean those parents don't try lots before they give calpol and it seems to be mainly your family and friends who seem trigger happy with calpol. That is not my experience nor that of others, as pp's have confirmed.

You can prise the Calpol from my cold dead hands.
I even gargled with it when I had recurring tonsillitis. Brilliant stuff.

By the way if your child won't take Calpol (when they need it) try the full sugar stuff...the no sugar variety tastes like the devil's piss.

Meh, I went straight for the laudanum.

@Igotthemheavyboobs I have never once stated that every single person should be using it under the advice of a HCP. Obviously we all use our own judgement to tell when our children need Calpol or not. You are correct in the assumption that it is my friends and family, which is what I have seemily mentioned repeatedly in this thread yet, PP's think it is a backlash or a stab in the back to them, which it is not. I've been accused a few times of under using it from both pp and FM's. Majority of the comments here are stating they have 'never experienced anyone do this so why are you so uptight regarding it' but, it is not mine? I've seen it multiple times from multiple different people I know. Just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean I nor others have like other PP's have mentioned on this thread. There's even articles regarding the ove ruse of Calpol. Many comments regarding the sleep and tbey just must be in pain or needed it. Not every case I've seen first hand has been the same. Literally one cry or one upset and the immediate reaction is to get the Calpol out. This is NOT what I was 'shaming' others for.

If your child is obviously inconsolable, you have tried everything, they are red raw teething with other symptoms etc. Then yes! Of fucking course give them Calpol!

My POINT here is people who hear one cry or a baby has a 37.3 degree temp OR just to put them to sleep because they have been 'shitty' all day I do not PERSONALLY agree with and I won't do it myself, but, maybe I do not give it enough or when I should.

I have been very lucky and had a daughter who has only been ill on two separate occasions, been really good with her teething and generally isn't a sad child. I understand not every baby is the same but imo it's often over used and is most definitely in my households and that is the only gauge I have!

If you take medication 'just in case' of getting a headache or anything else, that labels yourself an addict. I've witnessed first hand what this is like. No one should take any medication 'just incase'.

There's issues around giving children extensive overused medication, from liver problems, 'apparent' ADHD, dependacy etc etc.

Im signing off from this now so have your dues and twist my words all you like.