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General health

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Original poster

I'm a terrible mum :(

24 replies

lunavix · 14/03/2005 20:24

I've accidently overdosed ds on paracetamol He's got gastro and has had high temperatures all day, and because of his hatred of calpol the doctor gave us suppositries, I just gave him one before bed, then remembered he had calpol in his milk.

I've just done a huge panic and rung the local emergency doctor thing, who say he'll be fine but I can't stop shaking or crying What a stupid mistake to make and ALL the packets say in CAPITAL letters do not overdose for risk of severe damage.

I can't believe I just did that

OP posts:

helsi · 14/03/2005 20:25

You are not a bad mum.

charellie · 14/03/2005 20:27

Don't be too hard on yourself. It doesn't make you a bad mother.

You are probably exhausted after looking after you sick ds all day.

sacha3taylor · 14/03/2005 20:28

If the doctor said he will be fine, i'm sure he will. You are not a bad mum, everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I left ds on the sofa when he was 2 weeks old and he fell off - I cried more than he did

WideWebWitch · 14/03/2005 20:28

Hey, the doctor says he'll be fine, you made a mistake, don't worry! Presumably we're talkng double the normal dose, not a whole bottle or anything? FWIW, my friend's dd found a bottle of Calpol once and necked as much as she could before she got caught (we thought she'd had a good few swigs, she liked it, odd child) and she's absolutely fine. She was 3 then and is 7 now.

albosmum · 14/03/2005 20:29

I am sure their is nothing to worry about - DOn't panic - try not to do it again but if the dr says he will be fine - he will be.

My sisters 2 year old drank from the calpol bottle - she took him to a&E and they said just keep an eye on him.

When my DS1 had fits they gave him loads of diazapem and calpol, when we took him home they told us if he had another temperature to give him extra doses of calpol.

DON'T WORRY - just keep an eye on him - is your DH/DP home I am sure he will reassure you.

cori · 14/03/2005 20:35

I overedosed DS on calpol once. I had two different types of Calpol. One was concentrated, one was the normal version in the satchets. It was the middle of the night, DS was teething, I accidently gave him 5 mls of the concentrated one. I was distraught when I realised, called NHS direct, they calculated the dose, DS weight etc and everything was OK. I understand your concern, mistakes happen and you know it wont happen again.
I do think you need to overdose by a lot to cause damage.

marthamoo · 14/03/2005 20:39

Don't beat yourself up - no harm done. It's an easy thing to do, especially when you're tired and caring for a fractious child. Try keeping a piece of paper and a pen with the medicine and write down times of doses - that's what I do, especially when I am double dosing Calpol and Nurofen with two sick children!

Original poster

lunavix · 14/03/2005 20:41

I know

This is just the sort of thing I really don't usually do, I'm normally so careful. He's been so listless today too, just wanting to sit on my lap and lean against me. I know I'm going to be awake all night checking he's stil okay

OP posts:

Katemum · 14/03/2005 20:41

Give yourself a break. The doctor says he will be fine. It is so tough looking after a poorly little one. Its done now and I have a feeling that you won't be doing it again.
Is he asleep now? Just keep your eye on him and do something nice for yourself.

NomDePlume · 14/03/2005 20:53

Oh lunavix It was an accident, a one off, these things happen. Don't be hard on yourself. Wipe you eyes & go give your little man a kiss, and snuggle up on the sofa with DP.

RudyDudy · 14/03/2005 21:06

(((hugs))) lunavix - you are not a bad mother. You made a mistake any one of us could just of easily have made and I am certain you won't be doing it again. My DS went through a phase of only falling off things and bruising himself when I was looking after him - I became convinced I was the worst person in the world to look after him.

I hope DS and you feel better soon

giraffeski · 14/03/2005 21:12

Message withdrawn

huggybear · 14/03/2005 21:31

i watched a friend give her dd (just turned 2) 30ml of calpol the other day

when i questioned her about she said "its okay, shes used to it"

Original poster

lunavix · 14/03/2005 21:33

Thanks everyone.. I feel a lot calmer now. I thought dp would go mad (he doesn't get home till about 10.30 tonight so I told him when he rang) but he was okay.

How much is 30ml? I gave him a sachet and then the suppository ... 240mg or something in total... 120 per sachet/tablet?

OP posts:

Xena · 14/03/2005 21:33

HuggyBear WTF?? Is she mad?

NomDePlume · 14/03/2005 21:35

That's dangerous huggybear. If it's a regular thing then she's could be slowly poisoning her DD . I'd really stress the implications of long term paracetamol overdose on toddlers.

pixiefish · 14/03/2005 21:37

lunavix- he'll be fine.

BTW lunavix 30ml is 6 sachets!!!

NomDePlume · 14/03/2005 21:37

I'm sure she'd be devastated if something awful were to happen to her baby as a result and it was found that her DD had been exposed to above advised doese of paracetamol over a long period. She could be in very serious trouble, not to mention potentially cause permanent damage to her daughter's health.

Original poster

lunavix · 14/03/2005 21:38

I don't know what to say, I'm a mess after the equivalent of 2 sachets. The doctor brought his weight and everything into it, to make sure. I'm sure 6 sachets is really dangerous when he had to check about 2...

OP posts:

Katemum · 14/03/2005 21:39

Am now really worried about huggybear's friend's dd

NomDePlume · 14/03/2005 21:39

me too, katemum.

huggybear · 14/03/2005 21:39

I know

and she only gave it to her because shed got a papercut and was moaning for medicine

giraffeski · 15/03/2005 19:22

Message withdrawn

secretmn · 15/03/2005 19:54

i od'd on paracetamol when i was 20 (now 34) and i still have some liver function problems. To my mind giving a child the equivalent of 3 times the recommended dose on a regular basis (and thts what it sounds as if is happening Huggybear) is reprehensible. A child does not know the implications and just thinks of the calpol as nice sweet pink stuff.
Did you say anything to her?

Lunavix- don't worry, sounds as if you feel bad enough already. Don't worry- we all make mistakes and nobody can say they wouldn't have made the same one themselves. Try keeping a paper and pen by the bottle as suggested by someone here, that will keep your mind at rest in the future.

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