To wonder why there are E-numbers in a baby's medicine?

[MadameOvary]

I'll get in first and say it before you all do:

YY - PFB alert!

I was advised to buy it after DD immunisations and am at all the e-numbers in it. WTF? For a 2 month old?

I know Calpol is a godsend but why give an young baby strawberry flavoured goop??? You wouldnt give it sweets would you?. I dont get it.

Am asking because i think DD has started teething (17 weeks) loads of drooling and sucking on her fingers. But I am gritting my teeth (no pun intended) at the thought of giving her this.
Is the powder better? Have you all been there? Will I be merrily shoving all manner of meds down DD's throat in a year or so and laughing at my preciousness? Or did you find a decent alternative?

I square my shoulders for your stern ripostes...

Might it be because if it doesn't taste nice, they won't take it? At least, not more than once.

My dd has always taken Calpol and most other medicines perfectly well, but once she got something from the doc that didn't taste so good. I had a devil of a job getting her to take it and, being an antibiotic, I really had to persist. It was a nightmare. I'd have given my eye teeth for it to have a few more e-numbers.

Ask at the pharmacy for unbranded paracetamol suspension. It's still flavoured (I think, haven't been able able to bring myself to taste it after nasty incident with calpol while pg) but doesn't have any colouring in.

The more ironic thing is that sweeteners aren't licensed for food aimed at under 3yos, but Calpol Sugar Free is full of the stuff, all ready to give to your 8wk old. Evil stuff.

Teething powders are better - there is a homeopathic one (IIRC)

Yes that seems reasonable Ms Highwater. And I remember plenty of flavoured goop when I were a lass. I suppose this has forced me to confront the fact I have PFB syndrome.

Not all E numbers are bad. Unfortunately I can't remember which ones are, but I might Goggle the subject in a bit. (When I've finished Mumsnetting)

I give ds disprol, which has the least number of additives. that and Ashton's & Parson's powders, which are herbal not homeopathic.

Thanks Olihan and KatyMac. I did actually ask the doc to prescribe Medinol but just looked up the ingedients and its no better.
I will look into the teething powders.

Calpol is your friend! (says the woman with a 10 yr old with tonsillitis) I really don't think the E numbers should overly concern you as you will be giving your dd such a small amount. E numbers do make things more palateable. Poor dd1 is on abs atm and they are totally vile! I even tried some to be sure. If I could buy a truck load of E numbers and mix it in to improve it I would.

I know Bowddee, I admit was a bit of a knee jerk reaction, esp the whole strawberry flavour bit. It always smells vile as well.
PHD ta for the tip.

Medinol, that's the one we've got. It's white rather than that alarming pink which was enough for me. I'm 99% convinced that the dcs pick up with a dose of calpol purely because of the colourants .

Nelson's teeting powders are homeopathic and (IME) better than A&P's.

Anbesol (memorise the name carefully before asking at the pharmacy) liquid is also great for teething, much better than the gels which just slide off.

don't get me wrong, Madame - Disprol still has flavouring ("banana"), but iirc it had far fewer colours than calpol or the boots own-brand. [sad nerd comparing e-numbers in shop face]

Oooh yes Anbesol is brilliant - but speak VERY clearly when requesting it!

Anbesol/Anusol Olihan?
PhD I am sad nerd too, I do it with my own food never mind DD's meds!

X post NL

Anbesol is 40% alcohol - may as well use gin!

(that's what my pharmacist said, anyway)

I knew there was a reason why i liked Anbesol so much........

PhD that is

YANBU. calpol is the work of the devil! it is so stuffed with colours and flavours and i'm not being a PFB mum. medinol has far fewer additives and teething powders are much more effective than gels IME. adult medicine doesnt have these additives so why should childrens?

fledtoscotland I just googled medinol and the "inactive" ingredients are

Tragacanth, maltitol solution, methylhydroxybenzoate (E218), propylhydroxybenzoate (E216), sodium saccharin, sodium cyclamate, strawberry flavour PFW 500253E, purified water.

Two less e-numbers than Calpol, but has saccharin AND maltitol
Am defo getting those teething powders!

fledtoscotland, an adult can reason "I know this stuff will make me feel better so I will tolerate the vile taste". Until we can breed babies and children who can do the same, bring on the additives (within reason, of course).

Priorities!

i buy original 'sugar' calpol and just dont give it very often

if medinol has more "E" numbers than calpol, why are there more allergies to calpol????

have just been looking it up and it seems that prescription medinol is different to "over the counter" medinol, same as prescription calpol is different to over the counter calpol.

must be why GPs prescribe medinol if LO's are allergic to calpol.

Not U at all. I always always mention this at the pharmacy - which is part of my health centre because they buy in cheap medicines and they're always full of things banned in Norway.

I've asked and asked for medicines without food colourings. the dopey pharmacy woman said 'but it makes it easier for the kids to take them'. Fark off. Not even 7 year olds care what colour their medicine is. And babies WTF?

I tend to now take the prescription direct to a large Boots where they tend to have a better range of options.

But MN should deffo make this their next campaign because it is shocking how many substances that are dodgy are in kids' medicines - Sodium benzoate, aspartame and colourings all over the place.

Makes me very cross.

Calpol contains E122 (carmoisine) which is one of the colourings thought to cause hypeactivity in some children-it certainly does one of my children. Boots make an own brand one with no colourings but its usually behind the counter- the one they put out on the shopfloor is a copy of Calpol with the same colourings