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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Seriously panicking.

81 replies

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:47

Stupidly went for a shower earlier with 5 y/o DS watching tv
Were in a flat so I can see him, he is ND.

Came out of the bathroom to find he’s been in my work bag, opened my paracetamol capsules and all the powder is on the floor. I didn’t even realise my work bag was on the floor.

I don’t think he’ll have eaten any of it, he said no but I am still so panicked. There was a lot of the powder.

Anyone advise?

OP posts:

Dery · 09/05/2025 20:41

@needingadvice12 - it’s great you’re taking him to A&E. These things happen. Similar has happened to us. Even if there is social services interest, it will be over very quickly because you have taken responsible corrective action and social services will see that (I speak from experience though the circumstances were slightly different). As PPs have said, far better a few uncomfortable conversations at the hospital than serious harm to your DC.

Icanhearabee · 09/05/2025 20:42

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:58

I’m petrified I’ll end up with bloody social services.

They were shut away in your bag. You were in the shower for 5 minutes. You were unlucky. Err on the side of caution and get him checked. And don’t give yourself a hard time over it.

Gia906 · 09/05/2025 20:42

Take him to A&E OP for your peace of mind. My daughter fell off the bed as a baby and the HV did a routine call a while afterwards so try not to worry about this.

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 09/05/2025 20:43

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:58

I’m petrified I’ll end up with bloody social services.

This really is a common problem- my best friend had to take her eldest (now a teenager for a check) when she emptied out a pot of pills. She hadn't taken any but you have to go check, no concerns from the medical staff from doing the check. Neglectful parents are the ones who don't take them in, not the worried ones wanting reassurance!

Taytoface · 09/05/2025 20:43

Been there. 2 kids up in the night. Baby teething, gave her calpol, in a sleep deprived stupor left the bottle in the toddlers bedroom, woke up in the morning and I could smell she had been at it.

There was less than a third of a bottle left, but still took her to a&e. They took her temp, it was low, confirming she had taken more than the recommended dose. They then had to take a blood sample. Fortunately, they had numbed her hand with cream, and took the sample when she was asleep. Levels were above recommended but not toxic. The they took it really seriously.

Not a mistake I have ever made again. I had a call from social services that week. It was awful, but I learned. Be safe get him checked

Gia906 · 09/05/2025 20:46

I was very upset about social service involvement or something too when DD fell off the bed when young but I was told they’re more worried about the kids of parents who don’t take them to A&E after bad accidents at home - so I’d definitely take him if this is your concern. It will be much worse not taking him then something coming up. I’m sure he’s absolutely fine though!

OverlyLord · 09/05/2025 20:47

Well done for taking him a&e OP. I know it’s scary but you’ve done the right thing by your son.

Hopefully they’ll be able to send you on your way soon but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You won’t be the first parent to make a mistake and you won’t be the last, the main thing is you did the right thing. And that says a lot.

TheignT · 09/05/2025 20:53

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:58

I’m petrified I’ll end up with bloody social services.

I doubt you will hear from them. I once found my 2 year old with an empty weedkiller bottle. Don't know how it was opened. Went to hospital, spent hours there and then discharged. Got home and found a cushion soaking in weedkiller. Never got any contact from social services but coped with a hyper 2 year old bouncing round the house

stichguru · 09/05/2025 20:55

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:58

I’m petrified I’ll end up with bloody social services.

Kids get into everything, especially ND kids. You'll only end up with social services if he's done it before.

Sundews · 09/05/2025 21:08

DD got into a Calpol bottle, stupidly I had left it on a shelf without the lid on properly and she climbed up and got it. Took her to A&E and she was fine and don’t think she had drunk any but couldn’t take the risk.
The trouble is Calpol is too appealing for kids.

I did get a call from social services and explained what had happened and assured them I would keep the Calpol properly out of the way in future.

Namechangedforspooky · 09/05/2025 21:11

Go to A&E for paracetamol levels. It’s easily checked and we see variations of this story fairly often.
Levels are almost certainly going to be normal as the taste would have stopped him eating a toxic dose but I would definitely check to put your mind at rest

Elderflower14 · 09/05/2025 21:11

Ds2 (Wilf) in his childhood... Swallowed a ball bearing and a hearing aid battery(two separate events!!) , fell off the top of the climasaurus at the dinosaur park and fell off a storage box in the garden. Each time was a trip to three seperate casualties.. Two trips to one casualty, one each to the others. The ball bearing trip he made friends with a prisoner handcuffed to a police woman with a blood soaked teatowel round his hand. The family member who took us to casualty sat on the other side of the waiting room and pretended they didn't know us!! 🤣
How Wilf has made it to 28 I don't know.
My sisters are six and eight years older than me.. They once said to me "You went grey a lot earlier than we did!!".... My response??? "ARE YOU BLOODY SURPRISED????" 🤔 🤔 🤔 🤔

Londonrach1 · 09/05/2025 21:16

You done the right thing. Don't worry re ss. My friend found the tv remote open and the flat battery not in so a & e with her toddler son... Nothing shown in any tests so no idea where the battery had gone until...she found the battery posted into the DVD player a week later...sorry might age me with that..better the check than not x

Caerulea · 09/05/2025 21:24

Oh OP bless you! You're doing the right thing.

Honestly, my middle child (now 17 & very much alive) had me calling 111 so bloody often I swear I had a black mark next to my number!

Once thought he'd eaten an entire box of stock cubes as a toddler & was in full panic 'he's going to die of salt!!' on the phone to 111 when I spotted the small silver cubes stacked in a little wall on top of a lamp, he'd not even unwrapped one. That was embarrassing.

Hope he's OK, as others have said, paracetamol is so bitter you'd likely have known by the look on his face.

SayDoWhatNow · 09/05/2025 21:28

My DS squirted antifreeze in his mouth a few months ago. Highly toxic so we had to wait several hours at A&E and get bloods done. He was totally fine.

These things happen - no-one is going to think you are a neglectful parent. It will be fine.

AliBaliBee1234 · 09/05/2025 21:34

You need to phone 111, you can't assume with paracetamol.

They'll see this type of thing all the time.

ItGhoul · 09/05/2025 21:34

Good that you’re getting him checked out but I guarantee you that if he has any kind of sense of taste, he will not have eaten any more than a tiny and harmless quantity of the powder. It tastes powerfully, repellently bitter - utterly foul. It’s why Calpol is so sweet; it’s to mask the taste enough for kids to tolerate it.

artdecomirror · 09/05/2025 21:49

if it makes you feel any better i've just remembered other daughter drank the contents of an ice pack once at an age where she should have known better. i rang 111 and felt like an absolute plum when they asked me what i was worried about and i couldn't tell them more than i was sure it must be poison in them!

SipandClean · 09/05/2025 21:56

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 20:37

Hes got his tablet and a there’s a vending machine full of chocolate, he won’t be bothered haha

Happened to my granddaughter. We were told to go to hospital where they did blood tests. All was okay and she hadn’t taken any. I vaguely remember them saying she would have been drowsy if she had taken them. It is a good sign if he seems hungry. No social services involved but I guess it is logged.

Imbusytodaysorry · 09/05/2025 22:05

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 20:14

Honestly I usually have them in a high up kitchen cupboard. I’ve got terrible hay fever at the minute and it gives me a headache, I didn’t even remember I had them in my work bag

Do you take anthihestimens?
Fexofenadine was a game changer for me, get the strongest ones .

jenny38 · 09/05/2025 22:44

Honestly you are doing the right thing. As for SS they have way more difficult situations to deal with. Yes you may get a phone call or quick visit, but if there are no other issues, it will be fine. The fact that you rushed him to hospital to be on safe side, indicates you are taking the risk seriously and acting appropriately.

HaveCreditWillShop · 09/05/2025 23:08

needingadvice12 · 09/05/2025 19:54

Thank you. I’ll go now.
I feel so stupid. I’m not going to get into trouble am I. It’s never ever happened before.

No - they’ll just be glad you’ve taken him to check - that shows you care and are responsible, there’s no one on earth that can say they’ve never put down their handbag with pills in it. You just got unlucky he dug in. They won’t be cross. They’ll just want to check he’s ok.

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/05/2025 23:46

I think you have done the right thing going, but as PP's have said, paracetamol is vile. So bitter that even if he did taste it, I very much doubt it would have been more than a lick or finger dab's worth.

BigHeadBertha · 10/05/2025 00:36

I think you're a great mom to be so careful and thorough about being sure he's okay. Little ones get into stuff now and then. You can't always think of every possible hazard. It's not your fault. :)

Original poster

needingadvice12 · 10/05/2025 01:43

Thank you so much for being so kind
We’re just home, no traces of paracetamol in his bloods
Checked over by doctor who just asked how he was in general
No report to social services

I feel so relieved.

OP posts:

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