How much Calpol?

[kingfishergreen]

How much Calpol did you use in your baby's first year of life?

DD is 8mo and she's had about 3/5 (200ml) bottle (total 120ml). And sure, some of it was squirted down her PJs or spat down her chin, but it feels like a LOT!

We're sparing with it and have only given it to her for:

Injections (high temp).

Teething (she has four teeth, but we only give it to her when she is crying because it hurts, until then we use Bonjela, granules and cooled flannels for her to gnaw on).

Nasty colds (x2) again when she's really upset by it (I presume her sinuses hurt as she claws at them when she has a bad cold).

If we give it to her she only has one or two doses (except when she had her first jabs when she needed a full set of four doses in a day). She doesn't have Ibuprofen or anything else.

...but it still it feels like a lot.

Ds never had many colds, teething was a breeze for him, never thought to use before injections and he didn't need after. we barely used any, but if he had needed it I would have used it.

We've just started our second bottle and ds is just 13 months so by 8 months we'd probably used a similar amount as you. I also worry about giving too much but as long as you are thinking about why you're giving it and it sounds like you are I wouldn't worry

flower that's really reassuring - we really are careful to only give it when she needs it and we never do a 'just in case' dose. Maybe the early teething skewed it (two bottom teeth at 4mo, two top at 6mo) though that does feel a bit like I'm making excuses.

Wings I WISH DD had the immune system of your DS! I remember how she caught her first cold - toddler sneezed out of his pushchair into the hood of hers on the bus, I was furious!

It's not harmful if you follow the usage instructions, so use it as and when you need it! No need for angst, parenting has plenty other opportunities for that!

A lot. Couldn't begin to quantify it as he was in and out of hospital with bronchiolitis and pneumonia

Knock seriously, there is no stone that shall remain un worried about turned. Usage instructions are well and truly followed. Thank you!

Sirzy that sounds awful, is he recovered now?

We went through loads with DS- lots of ENT issues, pain etc

You seem really anxious op. Are you sure the calpol use is the issue, not your anxiety? I mean this kindly, as someone who has experienced anxiety!

DS2 (just turned 1) has had two hospital admissions with bronchiolitis, hand foot and mouth, chicken pox and noro (older brother in nursery who is just a germ box!) So we've used it regularly as he needed. I haven't counted to be honest, if he's got a temp or is clearly in discomfort he's had a dose. He's healthy and has survived his first year

Thanks both,

I don't think I'm suffering from anxiety, I've always been a bit of a worry-wart - now I've got someone to worry about who really matters and totally relies on me to do the best by her.

Oh good grief this makes me feel awful. I honestly think we're at least on our sixth bottle plus 2ish nurofens and she's recently turned one. Although to be fair some of them aren't fully finished and lurking in the bottom of bags etc. In my defence my dd was a nightmare for the first six months of her life and would scream all day and night due to allergies causing tummy pain and silent reflux (she was on meds for that too) and general teething and colds etc.

Dc1 had probably fewer than ten 5ml doses in the first 3 years of life. Then she started preschool and got repeated ear infections, tonsillitis, slapped cheek, chicken pox, scarlet fever, HFM and various non specific viruses so we got through a bottle that year.

DS has had calpol twice. Once for a burst eardrum and once for pneumonia. He is nearly 6yrs old.

I have a baby book by a pediatrician which says that as long as you stick to the dosage instructions on the bottle you won't give them too much. Apparently babies can break paracetamol down much better than adults so it doesn't build up in their system. The book even advises that if you're not sure if your baby is in discomfort or not then to give calpol as it won't do them any harm if they don't need it but could potentially save them the discomfort if they do need it.

The reason you are advised to see the doctor if you are still having to give calpol after a couple of days is to make sure you aren't disguising a more serious illness.

So basically as long as you stick to the dose instructions is doesn't really matter how much they have had in total over the past few months.

My 9 month old has made his way through a bottle so far mainly from injections and a cold.

Don't fee shitty seven it seems that's there's huge variation in how much people use, and PPs are right, so long as you stick to the guidance, it's all fine.

I guess some kids get ill more often, teeth are a breeze for some and a nightmare for others.

Show pre-school bugs are sounding pretty heinous, you poor buggers!

Steph if that's accurate (and it's likely to be if a paediatrician wrote it), then that's also very reassuring!