CMs - would you give homeopathic remedies supplied by a parent?

[ZuleikaD]

I've got policies on prescription and non-prescription medicines but it didn't occur to me to include anything on snake oil in my policies! I'm highly reluctant to use them (teething powders) when properly tested remedies (which the parent has also supplied) are available. WWYD? I was planning to just ignore them.

Personally I would not be willing to give anything like that unless the parents can produce a prescription. I'm certainly not qualified to say whether snake oil is potentially harmful or not so I wound't take the risk.

My policy says something along the lines of "I can give your child medication that has been prescribed by a doctor, dentist or appropriately qualified pharmacist or nurse. Unfortunately, I am unable to give any medication prescribed by an unregulated practitioner."

It won't do any harm. If it's homeopathic then there is (quite literally) nothing in it.

I have a family who use a homeopath for everything. I use their lotions and potions, but they fill in all the usual permission forms. All parents have given me permission to use arnica on bumps and bruises.

Surely this comes under your non prescription medicine policy?

Teething powders are fine though. I have used them on both my DC and they have soothed them both. They sell them in my Co Op, they are harmless at worst!

"Arnica on bumps and bruises" is not homeopathic but herbal. There is actual arnica in the cream/gel.

Teething powders WORK though. I have had 4DC, and teething gel compared to teething powders, well there's no comparing the relief the DC gets from teething powders. Are they they Ashton & Parson's ones?

I started off using bonjela and calgel, but reluctantly bought teething powders on the advice of my Nan. I was very sceptical, as on the whole, I think homeopathic remedies are a bit 'meh' and snake oil-y.

They work though. If you research the teething powders, they are 'natural' rather than homeopathic. And lots of prescription medicines are derived from plants.

Just give them a try!

And if you look at the ingredients of the teething powders, you will find that they derive from a plant that has a source of the medical ingredient used in teething gels. So basically more like a natural version of the artificially produced chemical that is in teething gels.

I did my research way back when BECAUSE I was so sceptical!

Thank you Trills :)

If something is herbal rather than homeopathic you should be a lot more careful about what you do with it.

Homeopathic "medicines" contain no active ingredient.

Herbal medicines have actual ingredients in them, which could do good or could cause harm.

(that was re teething gels/powders rather than arnica on bruises)

I'm not saying at all that teething powders do do harm, but if you have a policy on "medicine" then it should certainly apply.

trills 'quite literally nothing in it!!!!'

See this is where the problem is - homeopathic remedies don't legally count as 'medicine' so they're not covered by either policy. The teething powders say they are definitely homeopathic by the way, not herbal. Trills I'm sure you're right and there's no active ingredient! (Isn't that more or less the definition of homeopathic?) I'll update my policies, I think, and get a new permission slip signed. I'd still do the usual stuff about getting permission every time they're used as per non-prescription.

Homeopathic teething powders are just sugar (actually often just sweetener rather than real sugar), so won't do any harm and might distract the child a bit. I wouldn't object to giving homeopathic teething powders, but I would refuse to give homeopathic remedies for an actual illness.

Yes that pretty much is the definition - that and some special banging on a horsehair saddle... :)

Trills wish there was a like button that craked me up! (I work for a couple who are REALLY into all that and your comments are the antithesis of what I nod along to on a daily basis) #justtakethe£andrun