Medication rules for CM??

[chloemegjess]

Sorry to start yet another thread but I kept getting different answers when I searched online.

What are the rules about giving medication to children? I am really confused.

I always thought it was ok if it was prescribed or if it was Calpol. But my inspector at my pre reg said we cannot give calpol because it can hide other symptoms? I always give my DD Calpol or Neofen if she is under the weather or teething badly, and if she has a temporature.

I understand that if they are that ill then they should be at home but say the child was teething and was fine if having calpol or whatever??

I am just writing out my medication policy so need to know what the actual rules are.

Its news to me if we cant give Calpol. As a member of NCMA, I use their Accident, Incident and Medication folder. It has pages where you complete either short term or long term medication. As long as all details are recorded and parents sign I dont see where you can go wrong.

my inspecter said that too, but she also said as long as you had parents permission, initially to give it to the child and text or ring just before you give it to the child just to make sure, then record it all down on the forms then it was ok...that just seems like a waste of time and a big polavia
i think it really depends on what you want to do, you need to have something in palce to cover your back. as coolj said as long as its all recored and signed, you cant go wrong.

my cm has a thing I've signed that its ok for her to give calpol on consultation with me. which I have no problem with

I want to be able to give calpol, just wanted to check there wasn't a rule against it first.

Whats the rule with other meds then?

As long as you have parental permission you can give it, but we've been told we have to have a separate bottle of whatever for each child, with their name on, kept in the fridge. I've asked my parents to get some on prescription from the docs - solves the problem! At the end of the day though, if you have a child with a raging temperature, does it matter if the bottle has their name on it - I certainly wouldn't let that stop me from giving it (with parent's permission of course!).

SO we can give ANY medication? And Calpol isn't meant to go in the fridge is it? I know antibiotics etc do but I think calpol says to store at room temp?

The first version of EYFS said we were not allowed to give anything except prescribed medicines. But there was an outcry at this and they listened (for once!) - it has been amended - the current version of EYFS does not prevent us giving calpol.

However, at my first aid course in september we were VERY STRONGLY advised to avoid giving calpol because it can mask other symptoms - and you might not spot the symptoms of a more serious problem like meningitis. It was suggested that if a child was ill enough to need a dose of calpol then they were most likely too ill to be in school or childcare. Never give any medicine that the child hasn't taken at least twice at home before - in case of allergic reaction.

Side effects of Calpol, although rare, include bleeding and bruising and can make the child more susceptable to infections, apparently. As well as considering what's best for the child, you need to always consider protecting yourself and your family from allegations of abuse and take steps to prevent any misunderstandings between yourself and the parents. Although the parent might be quite happy to give verbal permission on the phone, if there's a problem they are unlikely to sign permission after the event. The idea of having specific written permission from parent for each does is to protect the childminder as well as to prevent duplicated doses.

Storage instructions should be on the bottle, don't put it in the fridge unless it says so on the bottle. Or if the fridge is the only place you can put it to keep it under the required temperature stated on the container.

I have written permissions for long-term meds, and also for meds I might have to give on the odd occasion... I always confer with mum beforehand though, never give any meds sans a verbal discussion - and as she has signed she's happy for me to give it, that's fine.

If the child has started taking the meds at home, then I write exactly what is given, and when, and this is signed that night on collection of the child - NCMA book is used for this.

I have one calpol per child (plus individual wet wipes/nappies/facecloth etc. etc. - you know the story!).

I am very careful with giving calpol due to above mentioned symptoms.

As with foodstuffs, I never give medication to a child unless they have had it before at home a few times - for allergy purposes.

Do you think it would be ok to have individual sachets of calpol instead of a whole bottle for each child - dont think i want 8 bottles of calpol in my cupboard (all part-timers!)?

Then it would be sterile and hygeinic - what do you think?