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Original poster

Can the HV really not hace a clue???

157 replies

MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 10:31

I got to the point where I got actually angry.

I though my DD has cradle cap. I looked in a book that I think has got very accurate stuff and pretty good advise and in there it said that cradle cap is not painful at all but a cosmetic problem, but there is some special shampoo to treat it.

So I took DD to HV to a general check up and showed her the cradle cup. She said put some olive oil and then wash it off. I asked her to tell me the name of the shampoo to treat it and she said "is shampoo for cradle cap". Ok. Went to the chemyst and got the shampoo. The pharmacyst told me never to give her oil! The HV also told me that I should treat it as soon as possible otherwise it increases, it gets harder, and it will hurt (???)

I know I should be inclined to listen to the HV but she has told me very strange things in the past. For example: the previous HV told me DD has dry skin in her face and that I should give her moisturising. Now, I didn't see any dryness but I did as I was told. Didn't see any difference in her skin, it was nice and soft. So yesterday I asked the HV if I can stop giving her moisturiser. She said yes, her skin is lovely. And I said, well, thats what I thought but was told it was dry... she said no when its dry it gets a bit like sand paper (!!!!!!) honestly! Sand paper???? I hope not!

So I am now properly peed off with this woman. Is like talking to a victorian nurse, I wonder if they get ongoing training? Why the advice differs SOOOOO much form a HV to a pharmacyst to another HV?

Really angry.

OP posts:
ShadeofViolet · 20/05/2010 11:19

I still dont understand why you are so angry. Olive oil does work well on Cradle Cap, and doesnt have any of the nasties that Dentinox has in it.

Also, I would like to point out to you as a well educated woman that its have, not hace.

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:19

I was angry because its not the first time she said something quite strange and not in agreement with the previous HV and because the pharmacyst said the opposite. I didn't realise the second was trying to make profit. Now I know better. She also said never to give her oil such as Johnson's baby because it is perfumed and it will irritate babys delicate skin which made sense.

OP posts:
ABatInBunkFive · 20/05/2010 11:19

You don't have to do as they say you know, they are only people and are only offering their opinion. It's up to you what you do with the advice.

ShadeofViolet · 20/05/2010 11:20

BTW - is you book by Gina Ford

bruxeur · 20/05/2010 11:21

I think the pharmacist was more worried that the OP was going to make baby oil out of an actual baby. Yikes!

biscuitsandbandages · 20/05/2010 11:21

Pharmacists in the community (ie not hospitals) are shopkeepers and make money on all the bizarre cough mixtures etc that they sell. There are of course some good ones but its not in their best interests to tell you you don't need a medicine they want to sell you.

Doctors can of course be swayed by drug reps telling them that this drug or another are the best although they get a lot of training in research etc at medical school so should be able to spot most of it. They don't however make any money from what they give you so will usually go for the cheapest option that works as there is a finite amount of money in the NHS and money spent on cradle cap (for example) can't be spent on new cancer treatments (for example).

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:21

You can see that I made that mistake only once, it was me writing quickly not knowing how to write the word. Jeeeeeeeez

OP posts:
ABatInBunkFive · 20/05/2010 11:21

It wasn't strange at all. I'm still unsure as to why you think it was.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 20/05/2010 11:22

If English is not your first language, could the pharmacist have misunderstood and thought that you were suggesting feeding your baby olive oil, rather than putting it on her head? That would account for the (otherwise rather bizarre) advice.

Olive oil is a perfectly good treatment for cradle cap, although it gets a bit messy. If you want a specific cradle cap shampoo then Dentinox is good. The HV's advice (try a cheap, easy and natural remedy before spending your money on a commercial product) was perfectly reasonable.

If you don't treat cradle cap it will increase and get harder; it doesn't hurt in itself but I suppose a very bad case could eventually start hurting if the hair starts getting pulled around by it.

If your issue over the skin is that two HVs gave you different advice, it seems unfair to be "properly peed off" with the current HV, who agrees with you that your daughter's skin is lovely and soft.

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:22

Its not Gina Ford.

OP posts:
seeker · 20/05/2010 11:22

So maybe you moisturized your baby's skin when it may not have neede it - maybe your HV felt a slight dryness and thought it would be a good idea to deal with it before it got worse? I am still not at all sure what you are angry about - I wonder whether your pharmacist thougth you were intending to feed the baby oil? Is that a possibility? I would be surprised if they said never to use poil on cradle cap - it's a tried and tested treatment.

fearnelinen · 20/05/2010 11:26

Hey ladies, back off. Your taking the mick out of her spelling (she has dyslexia), her accent (english as a 2nd language) ad her surpirse at receiving conflicting advice for the first time.

MtE, we've all been there, maybe some have forgotten, where you think there should be one thing that fixes one problem and then you can ge back to the one way of doing things. It takes time, but you'll realise that there are many problems with babies, all of varying degrees and everyone has a different way of treating it. It's bloody confusing, but you'll find your way.

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:27

FGS I asked the pharmacyst can you give me shampoo for cradle cap? can you tell me if that is sooo difficult to understand? She started saying NOT to give her oil without me asking. I never mentioned oil to the pharmacyst

And honestly, why would I want to fee my baby oil, please don't take me for such an idiot only because I am foreign.

OP posts:
Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:27

Again, I meant to write "feed"

OP posts:
luciemule · 20/05/2010 11:27

Advice/support does greatly vary between HVs and although they have to be nurses, I would always ask the GPs advice for anything remotely medical.
They (and GPs and midwives too) only get very limited breastfeeding training (some only 15 mins),for example, and so unless they have done specific training in breastfeeding, I would always ask a breastfeeding counsellor or charity for help with that.
Otherwise, it's best to pick and choose what you ask them and what you do with their 'help'.
One of my son's HVs, when I asked for help as he didn't eat hardly anything, was to tell me that me giving him a few bits of banana at 10am, would prevent him from eating his lunch. She said that on saturdays when she's at the stables, she lives on 4 bananas! Hmmmmm - really helpful.

bruxeur · 20/05/2010 11:28

If you're going to get all kum-ba-yah about taking the piss out of forren types, fearne, you really shouldn't use the phrase "taking the mick". Is offensive to bog-dwelling Paddies, innit?

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:29

Fearnelinen: thank you so much. reading your post was like breath of fresh air!!!

OP posts:
ShadeofViolet · 20/05/2010 11:29

I wouldnt have said anything about the OP's spelling had she not said

'And I am always nice to my HV although I don't always agree with her because I am well educated'

ABatInBunkFive · 20/05/2010 11:29

Thanks for telling me what i am doing fearn. Bit daft to be angry with the HV who agrees with her though, no?

And speak for yourself about all having been there.

fearnelinen · 20/05/2010 11:30

Yes buuxeur, of course

islandofsodor · 20/05/2010 11:31

English is my first language but there are still times when talking to healt professionals, doctors, teachers etc when I miss things or get the wrong end of the stick.

The olive oil advice was very good, best to try something like that first rather than shampoos whcih can be harsh on the skin and expensive.

Again the moisturiser, you tried something, it worked, no need to use it any longer.

I'm really not quite sure what you want OP. Why did you go the the pharmasist and ask for shampoo when the HV hgad told you to try oil. HV's are not necessarily going to know brand names of these things which in the majority of cases are unceccesary.

fearnelinen · 20/05/2010 11:32

I'm off, MtE you might want to do the same, the pack have rounded.

Original poster
MumtoEliane · 20/05/2010 11:33

"I wouldnt have said anything about the OP's spelling had she not said

'And I am always nice to my HV although I don't always agree with her because I am well educated' "

Why???? I think I am, maybe I sould have said polite, better in the context. I meant when a parent educates you well to be polite to other people and to have manners.

Bruxeur are you serious? I am quite shocked.

OP posts:
colditz · 20/05/2010 11:33

As you seem determined to take offense, I will leave this thread and leave you to it, MTE

waitingforbedtime · 20/05/2010 11:34

My son had bad cradle cap. We used grapeseed oil, it worked a treat. You said yourself the HV said to put oil on it but did you tell the pharmacist that HV said to give your baby oil??