Advice Needed....3 yr old taken 1 extra spoon of calpol

[Melly]

my ds is poorly with a cough cold, raised temperature etc. He went to bed then woke up crying at 10 coughing and shivery. I gave him the usual dose of calpol, ie 2 x 5 ml spoon, i put the bottle with the lid on down on the bedside table, went into the bathroom to wash hands and grab some tissues to wipe his nose, whilst my back was turned he somehow got the top off and had another spoonful. Thankfully there wasn't much left in the bottle and he spilt most of that on the duvet cover. He assures me he only had the one spoonful but of course it's difficult to be 100%. I can't believe the monkey did it so quick. I phoned NHS direct and they said it shouldn't be a problem but the bloke was quite pratronising and told me "to be very careful with Calpol in future" so now as well as anxious as hell I feel like a shit mother.
Apparently a nurse will call me back within an hour and a half.

Anyone had any similar experiences like this?

Melly, it will be ok, honestly.
You know the dose they say on the bottle is a standard one.
To dose acurately and mose effectively you need to to it against the child's weight.
When my 4 year old was admitted to hospital last year for a very serious uti they gave her way over the normal amount of calpol to bring her temp down. They said that the top dose was weight dependent. So they are already playing very safe with the doses they recommend on the bottles so one spoon extra won't be a problem. Hope that helps and makes sense !

I have been told they give way over the recommended bottle dose in hospital, and since then when mine are V poorly I always give them an extra one for luck. So don't worry.
But tut, tut, do be more careful next time you lax mother

If NHS Direct thought it was at all serious they would call you back much faster 1.5h is the maximum call-back time. When I called regarding my then 8wo's cough, they said the nurse would call me back within 16min.

Have a look at this thread!

Thanks everyone for those messages. The nurse rang me back just now, she was lovely and not at all patronising, just said boys will be boys Apparently like you all say the dose on the bottle is cautious. Also apparently it depends on how much they have had in a 24 hour period and luckily ds had only had one dose at 6 pm and then another (plus his extra one!) at 10 pm. He is in my bed tonight so I can keep an eye on him, not looking forward to that, he is a right wriggler. I can hear him upstairs now faffing around with my bedside light, (the calpol I hasten to add is safely put away this time .)
Thanks again for the replies. Off to bed now. Night night.

Hope your little one is ok prettycandles and you get some advice soon from NHS direct.

I know you've had a reassuring reply now Melly, but just wanted to add that when my dd (who was 3 at the time) was in hospital for a badly cut lip which needed to be stitched under GA, they automatically gave her the 'age 6 and over' Calpol and told me to give her as much as she needed to make her feel better! I was a bit shocked at the time by how laid-back about it they were, but I figured it MUST be safe....