I don't want to use Calpol but do I have a choice?

[London7]

Hi

I have had to use Calpol a couple of times when my baby had a temperature. All over-the-counter baby medicines for relieving fever and pain contain lots of E-numbers and I don't want to expose my baby to them. Does anybody know of a more natural alternative? Believe it or not, my GP, health visitor or even pharmacist said they had no idea!

Parapaed is whitish, so I assume no artificial colours

it is sugar-free, so contains artificial sweeteners, though.

Surprised no one has mentioned the recent stories about paracetamol possibly contributing to asthma ?.htm">here.

I am all for giving pain relief and treating high fever, but I think we should think twice before using these things routinely.

On another point about calpol, additives etc, in Italy you can get suppositories, or drops which you can give however you like. I wonder why these aren't easily available in the UK, is it just that generations have been raised on calpol?

Bum.
here

What about Ibuprofen?

When i have a cold/flu/tempreture i feel like shit, i take paracetemol and feel much better.

My DD will only take the zingy pink sugar loaded Calpol. I don't like it, but i would rather her feel better and not be in danger of the complications that can occur with a high tempreture to worry about E numbers in something that she has once in a blue moon.

Agree.

The method of delivery of a drug is a cultural thing, sputnik - as a very rough rule of thumb, I understand, in Germany injection is popular, in France suppositories, in the UK pills. Very Freudian!

Not medised unless DC is over 2 years old - advice has recently changed from suitable from 3 months to 2 years.

You can get paracetamol suppositories in the UK, but only prescription and i've been told they can lead to nasty diarroeah.

I don't have a problem with anyone not using Calpol, btw, in the case of a bit of a fever and/or runny nose I would rather ds didn't instantly reach for painkiller (apart from anything else it's such a fight to get them into him!!) but yes, if he's in severe pain then I'll give it to him. He only seems to go loopy on sweeteners, colourings aren't a problem for us (so far) so Calpol works well at the moment.

As with most of these discussions, what it boils down to is, I'm doing the best for my kid, you're doing the best for yours, why get in a stress about it? (Not that anyone was, I know, just horses for courses, innit?)

You can buy paracetamol suppositories without prescription but they are ridiculously expensive.Last time I ask it was about £18 for a days worth.
Both my DCs have a febrile convulsions, far more than is normal and DS has his last one at 10. I had to beg the paediatrician for a prescription as DD wouldn't take any medicines.

My 2 sons ages 6 and 21 have been treated homeopathically since babyhood, the eldest was given calpol original, non sugar free. The youngest won't take the current pain killers available and i am loathe to use the aspartame variety, so i use a combo of sponging down/cool wraps/rescue remedy and the right homeopathic remedies. Both are non vaccinated and have strong constitutions, particularly the youngest.
It's a shame some of you sound as though you
are in competition with each other, making
others defensive and/or angry.
Good luck to all,being a mother is the hardest job on the planet at times!

Wht is the point of digging up a 6 month old thread?

Have just discovered and joined mumsnet,
having googled the calpol issue after
my youngest had burst ear abcess.
Found comments on sight fascinating.

then start a new post don't dig up old rows