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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not want to force feed my daughter calpol

100 replies

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 15:10

Her temperature is 39 degrees and has been high for several days now. I'm having to force feed her antibiotics too and the whole thing is extremely stressful for both of us. She's incredibly fussy and won't take her medicine any better than she eats new food. I literally have to squirt it to the back of her throat and hold her mouth shut
I've been giving her calpol each time her temp is up but she keeps telling me she's better now to try to convince me not to give it (she's 2 and a half). She actually seems ok right now, playing and dancing along to the TV, just hotter than she should be. She's got to the point when she screams just when I take her temp as she knows what might follow. I feel so awful and she just doesn't understand it's for her own good. I could cope with one or the other, but with both meds she's having 8 doses or more a day. And the thought of another 4 days of this til her antibiotics are gone...
So aibu to leave her with a raised temp for a bit and see how she does? Or is it vital she gets her calpol now?

OP posts:

morningpaper · 11/01/2009 22:29

haha korma yes, we want sources and citations

we know Back of Throat is bad already

also shoving in a pint at a time is bad

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 11/01/2009 22:29

Any medication that has to be taken on an empty stomach (or any other instructions such as half an hour before food or whatever) should be clearly labelled with this information.

Everything Doodle mentions (afaik) is fine with food. If in any doubt just ask a pharmacist or doctor.

Original poster

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 22:30

phenoxymethylpenicillin apparently

it states to be taken an hour before food or on an empty stomach... not doing very well with that bit, does it matter??

OP posts:

kormachameleon · 11/01/2009 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oldraver · 11/01/2009 22:31

Found this... maybe we should kick up a stink and ask for it here.. I assume our differing way of accessing medical care doesnt allow for it

www.flavorx.com/human/default.asp

SlightlyMadScientist · 11/01/2009 22:31

I am NOT disagreeing with you Korma....I to wonder the risks and the extent of the danger. Babies that have reflux aspirate into their lungs frequently - and although I know that it can cause respiratory problems I think it is only a small proportion that have problematic respiratory problems.

I know it is different though - milk is relatively fluid...medicine is a thick gloopy syrup and all....

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 11/01/2009 22:32

I am not a doctor chickenmama, so I don't know. I think you need a doctor or pharmacist to advise how essential these directions are.

Personally I would do my best to stick to the directions as they are generally there for a reason (e.g. to make the medication work more effectively)

kormachameleon · 11/01/2009 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SlightlyMadScientist · 11/01/2009 22:36

Sorry - that is one which must be taken on an empty stomach.

here.

There are some drugs which are less than 50% absorbed with even the tiniest amount of food in the stomach. I don't know the figures for this one though.

Sorry - I guess that has just made it 10x tougher for you.

SlightlyMadScientist · 11/01/2009 22:38

My point is that I am not disagreeing with you (I just dodn't want you to take it that way and get cross with me cos I am a wimp!).

I don't think you are talking a big pile o shit. For me I would like to know how this compares with the aspiration which occurs with babies who have reflux - who tolerate som degree of reflux.

Original poster

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 22:40

ok, one more question b4 i go to bed... would u wake a child to give a dose so it's kind of evenly spaced (within 14 hrs) or just wait til she wakes in the night and squirt a dose in then? it won't interfer with tomorrows 'routine' as she's bound to wake b4 3am and the morning dose will be 8am-ish so not too close together. the last one was at 6.15pm.

OP posts:

Original poster

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 22:41

bugger, she's on Penicillin V (on SMS's list)

OP posts:

Original poster

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 22:41

oh, and u just said that! see, i'm ready for bed!

OP posts:

kormachameleon · 11/01/2009 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

chickenmama · 11/01/2009 22:44

so does that mean I can't mix with fruit juice (which i did earlier) or use choc button bribes??

is it still ok for her to wash it down with squash (or breastmilk as she did this morning)??

and even more awkward, i have to time it round mealtimes. grrrrrr

OP posts:

KristinaM · 12/01/2009 00:04

we have medicine refusers here

what works best for us is NOT to get the paediatric suspension but the regular tablets where possible. you need to ask Dr when they write the prescription

then crush the tablets to a fine powder - we use a pestle and mortar but two spoons will do or end of round handled cutlery in egg cup

mix with a teaspoon of jam or chocolate spread and voila!

does not work for one of ours when very feverish as he is VERY stroppy so we give rectal paracetemol

he will also take the nurofen brand not sugar free but not anything else eg boots own brand or calpol

LucyEllensmummy · 12/01/2009 10:15

i have even put food colouring in with medicines to trick DD into thinking it is was "pink" which is what we call sugar full calpol in our house. I really can't see why we have to have sugar free suspensions (can live without the colour) but for the amount of medicines they have to take, its not the end of the world - unless of course they have some sort of intolerence so sugar free should be available as an alternative, but not as the main choice. Personally i would rather risk a bit of hyperactivity and sugar rush than have a child who wont take medicine that it needs.

sausagenmash · 12/01/2009 10:36

Gawd. Would be good to hear these citations. Am a paed nurse with 18 years experience (blimey I feel old now), and am very up to date with practice based research - when you're looking after 6 kids on a ward, you HAVE to get it in quick! No time for faffing! Haven't heard of children aspirating meds that their parents had given, but I guess its possible. Certainly wouldn't advocate nasty holding and back of throat squirting, but firm cuddles, small squirts from the syringe into the cheek, and often a short, sharp blow (puff) of air from yourself into the child's face - this acts as a little shock, and they swallow. This isn't mean, I swear - I taught this trick to my sister in law when my nephews were little, and she said it was a godsend. Woe betide my baby when it comes along!! ps - just checked with another senior nurse in my office, and she does this too! pps - and this has been done in every paediatric ward I've worked in.....

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 12/01/2009 15:15

Goodness- this thread reminds me of being little. I'd not recommend forcing it down, although its tricky as its for a childs own good...

Im rather ashamed to have been a refuser... Particularly due to horrid banana tasting stuff but soon refused all medicines requiring swallowing...My dad used to pin me down on the bed (his knees on my legs, his elbows on my arms) and force it down my throat. Used to end up in my hair
Despite being so small then I recall it very clearly and still wont touch anything banana related!...

Think I took tablet antibiotics from age 7 or so- so much better than nasty liquid meds which I still hate now.

SlightlyMadScientist · 12/01/2009 17:06

Ok - to answer a couple of questions

Firstly the doses should be spread as evenly as possible - but it is normally appropriate to do it through the "waking day" so it is not necessary to specifically get up through teh night to do it. BUT if she regualrly wakes then I would be tempted to do it then - at least for the first couple of days whilst they kick in.

Secondly - ideally you shouldn't give with juice or bm -as this classes as food as far as teh stomach is concerned - I think...TBH I don't see why the GP didn't prescribe amoxycillin - which is not food tolerant...especially for an 8m old whcih has food regularly through teh day.

Also Kristina - please DON not crush or chop tablets. In many cases the coating is specially formaulated and has a job - e,g, so that it doesn't dissolve int eh stomach, so that it doesn't interact with food, so that it doesn't interact with other meds, so that it dissolves slowly....for some meds it is fine....for others it can make the medicine less effective. In others it can be dangerous.

KristinaM · 13/01/2009 01:37

we dont not crush tablets of that type, only those which are suitable

KristinaM · 13/01/2009 02:02

that's why i said you have to ask the dr when they write the prescription

handbagqueen · 13/01/2009 14:15

Hi Chickenmama,

You can get Calpol fastmelts which are calpol in a tablet form which dissolves on the tounge. They are marked for 6+ on the box, but I used them with my DD as she was calpol phobic too, all I did was chop them in half when she was young so I did not OD her.

Also ask your doctor to prescribe different antibiotics, my DD has ones that last 3 days and she only needs to take 1/2 tsp once a day. These are pretty expensive which is why the Drs are reluctant to presecribe them, but I just insisted and she has them everytime now.

Also forcing medication into kids only works until they learn to vomit it out, it also is really traumatic for them especially when they are not well.

Hope your DD is feeling a bit better now.

LucyEllensmummy · 13/01/2009 20:59

handbagqueen that is a good idea, but just to make you aware - if the tablet doesn't have a line down the middle to split it on, then you shouldn't be splitting it, the reason for this is that if tablets are designed to be split, this means that each half will have roughly half a dose, if on the other hand there is no split mark then the active ingredient may not be mixed thoroughly withing the tablet and this could result in an overdose.

SilentTerror · 13/01/2009 21:24

I am paeds nurse of 20 yrs experience and have never seen a child aspirate with medicines.
THH,few children in hospital would ever take medicines without coaxing sorry ,holding down.
Small price to pay to get child beter,imo

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