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Children's health

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Original poster

Medised. Are people still giving it to under twos?

66 replies

MoooCow · 10/03/2009 16:01

I have given my baby medised in the past when she has has a bad cough and cold. I have just bought a bottle today and it now says for over 2's. I cant see that the ingredients have changed, just wondering if anyone is still giving it to under two's.

OP posts:

Bunch · 11/03/2009 11:36

Obviously it's up to you but I would be aware of the risks. Personally I would stick to calpol. A temperature and a cough is the bodies way of fighting and getting the bugs out.

Gorionine · 11/03/2009 11:40

I would if my dcs where still under 2. especially for teathing pain and bad cold.

Niecie · 11/03/2009 14:08

Having just had a week of alternating ibuprofen and paracetamol for my DS1 who had a temperature of 39.9c at times, I was interested in the NICE guidelines. However it doesn't actually say that you can't alternate.

This is taken from Bunch's link:-

"These medicines should not be given at the same
time, but if you give your child one medicine and it does not help, you
may want to consider using the other."

I would never give them at the same time anyway but this is saying that you can give the other type if the first by itself doesn't work.

I always start out giving Calpol as there seems to be some unwritten rule that it is somehow better. However, it rarely has any affect so the next dose has to be ibuprofen which does work.

People don't bother to follow guidelines for just those reasons that appear to be coming out here - it isn't always clear what they mean and there may well be more update to date info they just don't include.

coochicoo · 11/03/2009 14:31

I used Medised with my ds when he was about 6 months before the guidelines changed. It always seemed to help him off to sleep when he was bunged up.

However, dd is now 7 months and has a horrible cold but I won't use Medised. I know it didn't seem to do my son any harm, but I agree with a pp that guidelines change for a good reason.

Plus I'm a bit of a goody-two-shoes!

LolaLadybird · 13/03/2009 21:37

Could someone with an old bottle tell me what the dosage is for under 2s? DS is 15 mo and I would use it for him as I did with DD when she was under 2 but I have a new bottle which doesn't give dosage for under 2s.

spikemomma · 13/03/2009 23:02

Neicie - i agree about the nurofen and paracetomal alternating. My doc, hospital and walk in clinic have all said, on more than one occasion that we could alternate them to keep our childs temp down. Like you we've experienced a week of 39.9c more than once. Alternating also reduces overheating and the risk of febrile convulsion.

I think the NICE guidelines are talking about at the same time dosages. I also think they are concerned about the risk of masking symptoms, which may reduce diagnosis. Who knows what it's about. If people are unsure they have to speak to a Doc they trust i suppose. Parenting, what joy!

We do give medised too. I do think it can be confusing to people about what's in what product, so they are being cautious.

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 23:14

i have NO IDEA what to do now. no idea about anything.

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 23:17

Niece - IBUPROFEN is more effective as an anti-pyretic as it REDUCES temperature. CALPOL is less effective as it's action is much slower and in many child is a temperature STABILISER.

Many people prefer Calpol as I think that it is seen as slightly less aggressive than ibuprofen. Also you have to be careful with ibuprofen on an empty stomach.

Finally.

I agree with Wanabe. The regulations were changed for a reason. That reason is about the risk v benefit.

There is in most of the population little medical benefit of these medications. On the other hand there is a risk that - as has been said - these medicines can mask more serious symptoms, or prolong an illness (as a cough and fever are both parts of the immune system). There is also a GENUINE (albeit reasonably infrequent) risk of more serious complications - such as excessive drowsiness, prolonged sleepiness, hallucinations....

So it is not felt by the people that regulate these medicines that the RISKS are GREATER than the BENEFITS. This has been determined by people that UNDERSTAND the risks and the benefits.

Furthermore - just to show the utter madness in teh cough medicine industry - some medicines have been withdrawn completely. These are medicines which contain an "anti-tussive" - which basically suppresses a cough and an "expectorant" whcih stimulates a cough IN THE SAME BOTTLE!!!! it is sheer madness, and about time that an objective review was conducted.

Woooozle100 · 13/03/2009 23:17

use paracetomol and ibruprofen at same time here. Depends what you mean by fever - if stupidly high then imperitive you reduce cos of febrile convulsions

We've been told many times in hospital that its ok to use together

just don't use 2 'same' medicines - like calpol and medised say. That's dangerous

thought the thing with medised was the antihistamine and possible allergic reactions to it - that's why age limit is going up (tho pretty sure piriton is available from 12 mths)

Used medised loads with dd when she was tiny. Not used with ds tho now 17 mths as per guldelines

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 23:18

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 23:26

sms are you a pharmacist?

just tell me what to do and i'll do it.

we used medised with dd1 when she was little, thought it was great stuff when she had a bad cold. haven't used it with dd2, but the GP did say that 'sometimes you have to get a bit creative' and said if things were bad he couldn't see anything horrific about giving some piriton and calpol together.

you can see why i'm confused.

Woooozle100 · 13/03/2009 23:28

do they? Gawd have lost count at no of medics who've said its ok to give together. They did in december on the ward when dd was inpatient as well (she's 3). In fact gave codeine at the same time as well

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 23:32

No I am not a pharmacist - I am a scientist but quite a long way of the qualifications of a pahramcist.

As a mother and a scientist I do not advocate the use of the medicines which have been withdrawn from sale.
As a mother my first oport of call for a low fever (under 38) is calpol - 4-6hrly, max 4 doses in 24hrs.
As a mother my first port of call for a higher fever is ibuprofen (dosed according to teh instructions on the nurofen box - as other brands do differ in regime; 6hrly max 3 doses in 24hrs) - with calpol after 3hrs if it is creeping back up.

I have not seen any evidence form healthcare bodies relating to the use of a single anti-pyretic (ibuprofen/calpol) but TBH I have not looked and hadn't heard it until tonight.

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 23:34

Pixie - I see no reason why you can't give together. They act in very different ways.

Also you have to remember that the dosing regimes used under medical supervision (i.e. hospital) can be v different to those used at home.

Oh and Aitch remember (I think) that piriton is onlly suitable from 12m (or is DD2 12 months already ?)

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 23:36

is it? we've got some here but i think we've only used it for chickenpox.

poor dd2, i'm so confused i may just leave her to suffer from now on.

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 23:38

(please check the box, and do as it says... I am going form memory as I don't have any in teh house)

Olbas oil/Karvol/Vicks is usually a pretty good alterative to cough meds for a blcoked nose and a reasonable nights sleep.

Woooozle100 · 13/03/2009 23:43

disclaimer - am only relating back advice given to us(re giving ibuprofen and paracetamol) My dd has history of febrile convulsions and has loads of other stuff going on.

Haven't a clue what the general position is. I'm not medically qualified

Woooozle100 · 13/03/2009 23:49

Aitch - what is prob with yr dd?
just checked my bottle in cupboard - piriton from 1 year

CountessDracula · 13/03/2009 23:52

I gave dd some medised tonight first time for years (late dash to sainsbos pharmacy)
She has a broken arm and was anxious and in pain and it really does knock her out

I must say I have never used it if I have ever had any concerns that she might have something worse that a cold as I felt that the symptoms might be masked.

CountessDracula · 13/03/2009 23:53

she is 6 btw

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 23:54

oh no problem really, just a rotten cold that's been going on for aaages. and conjunctivitis, bless. we've given her a couple of dods of calpol but mostly she's sleepin in our arms and sounding like darth vader.

Woooozle100 · 14/03/2009 00:02

them plug in thingies helped us

as did sleeping on a tilt

has she got that really phlegmy muccousy cold that's doing rounds at the mo? We've had that here. Eyes, nose. .. seems to linger a bit too.

Meglet · 14/03/2009 00:05

My GP prescribed calpol night for my 6 month DD the other week. She was almost suffocating on snot and mucus for a few days. She had one dose one night and it cleared her nose out so she could breathe again. I would only use it on very rare occasions if she had a rotten cold.

Aren't all the stupid people who use it to make their kids sleep just going to keep buying it anyway?

AitchTwoOh · 14/03/2009 00:07

that's the fella, pixie!

Meglet · 14/03/2009 00:09

countess I was meaning people who use it on small children . Hope your DD is a bit better in the morning.

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