Slightly concerned that Medised is now only for over 6s!

[Shellseeker]

I still have a bottle (admittedly a little out of date!) which says it can be used for 3 months+ and another one which says for 2 yrs+. Apparently now it can only be used for 6 yrs+. Does this mean that occasional doses to help my DDs when they were teething were dangerous?
Can I really not use it for DS when he is teething - for the other 2 it did the trick better than homeopathic stuff, teething gel or Calpol - but as a very last resort.
Or is it, as a friend told me, because some people use it regularly as a sort of sleeping potion to get their little ones off to sleep?
Any thoughts?

[benfmsmum]

I am interested in this too as I am about to go and buy a new bottle as the old one has just finished and it works wonders with my 3.10yo ds!!

[MoonchildNo6]

This is all because some idiot overdosed their DC, probably thinking if they gave them more it would make them sleep (you know those ridiculous rumours that circulate about Calpol, medised etc.).

It was licensed for use for children over 3 months after extensive testing, this is just the gov. playing safe.

[MoonchildNo6]

If you buy more the chemist will ask how old the child is and if you say anything under 6 they won't sell it to you.

[SpaceNoodle]

I work in a pharmacy. The reason they changed the age restriction to 6 years is because the (very rare) risks are seen to outweigh the benefits, after recent re-tests. A tiny amount of children have had adverse reactions to the active ingredients. Any products containing decongestants, some antihistamines (such as the one in Medised) and cough medicines have now been changed to 6 years for this reason so this also rules out all cough and cold medicine. I don't think it's necessarily a case of one child having had an overdose, it is certainly not the primary reason. The bottom line is that all you can get for under 6's now is paracetamol suspension, ibuprofen suspension, and glycerol for a cough. Piriton syrup is still ok from one year.

Hope this explains it a little bit anyway!

[Flumpity]

Couldn't agree more it's so nanny state. It would never have been licenced in the first place the drug testing is so strict. Just tell the pharmacist it's for your 7 year old and ignore the stupid nanny state. Drives me nuts that we're not allowed to exercise personal responsibility these days. Our pharmacist had the decency to be embarrassed at the change in policy!

[thederkinsdame]

I thought it was becaue some folk were mixing the medicinces they were giving i.e. medised and other cold remedies etc, without realising that some had the same things in and could (potentially) lead to an O/D?

Slightly O/t, but SpaceNoodle - can you buy piriton over the counter as long as your child is over 1 then? At the tesco pharmacy they were refusing to give it to me for my DS until they saw the prescription. They said they'd only sell it over the counetr if he was over 12. Seemed slightly odd when I got the bottle and it said 'over 1' Maybe they have their own store policy? It left me feeling rather befuddled!

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

I agree - I gave it to my DS when needed (now 3) and have the attitude 'it was ok when he was little'.

I am shocked at myself though - as I get so annoyed with MIL (and the rest) who say 'well when I had a baby we did it this way' and I always respond ' well we know differently now'

I feel stupidly hypocritical! Saying that I only ever use it sparingly - but was a lifesaver with a heavy cold

[DebiTheScot]

I still give it to my 3 year old occasionally if he needs it- had it last week when very congested and couldn't sleep.

But I only give it to him even though the rules have changed because I know he doesn't react to it (he 1st had it when it was still for over 3 or 6 months or whatever it was). I won't give it to ds2 until he is 6 because he's never had it and so I don't know how he'll react.

I know of a few people who had bad nose bleeds after taking it.

[MyCatisGreebo]

I bought a bottle of this 2 weeks ago from our local chemist and it said 2yrs and over on it. And in fact, I discussed it with the chemist and he said nothing about it being for 6 and over.

Like you DebiTheScot I'll carry on using it for DD when necessary (3.8yrs) but not for DS (5mths) until much much older (at least 3yrs) as he hasn;'t had it before (and is way too young now at 5mths anyway!)

[Reallytired]

I think its sad that GPs cannot prescribe medised. There are circumstances where the benefits of medised outweigh the risks.

Thankfully I have a seven year old so I can legally buy medised for him. He tells me that medised is the best thing for a severe ear infection.

I would use on my baby once she is over the age of one if she had a really severe ear infection or head cold. I might be tempted to use medised for teething.

[looneytune]

Dh just tried to buy this for our 6 year old who has had it when needed all his life - now can't buy it if under 12yrs without prescription!!!