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Original poster

To give Calpol everyday?

249 replies

PricklesPick · 14/04/2021 09:06

May be a stupid question but I'm a bit of a paranoid FTM so I apologise!

Is it okay to give Calpol every day? (For a period anyway) whilst teething?

He is only just 3 months old but already has a tooth showing and seems in pain mostly during the evening.

He's been having Calpol every night before bed for about a week now but I'm just concerned about giving it too often. It's the only thing that seems to settle him down though.

OP posts:
riddles26 · 14/04/2021 11:21

Sorry OP, I missed that your baby was under 5 months in a rush to reply. He is too little for the Anbesol liquid although keep it in mind for when he is older.

Ibuprofen is also fantastic for pain relief as others have mentioned too. See your GP as soon as you can, I am surprised they haven't fitted a 3 month old in any sooner as most would do. Don't stop giving the Calpol if it is one dose each night and is working, just see a GP as well

NameChange30 · 14/04/2021 11:23

@riddles26

Paediatrician here. First of all you have NOT harmed your baby in any way so please don't feel guilty. I've not read the full thread, just the first handful of unhelpful posts belittling you and want to reassure you that you are a wonderful mum.

In terms of paracetamol/Calpol, the box will say not to give for more than 3 days without medical advice. This is because we want to rule out anything else causing the pain, it is not because it is unsafe to have for more than 3 days. We want to be sure baby is not experiencing pain from anywhere else and doesn't have an underlying infection. For an otherwise healthy child, the doses on the pack are safe for several consecutive weeks so more than 3 days has not caused harm

Teething is usually at its most painful just before the teeth cut through the gum then subsides and this rarely lasts more than 4-5 days. For what feels like a lifetime, he will have itchy and uncomfortable gums and want to chew everything in sight but this does not usually require Calpol.

There are a heap of teething products on the market for the itchy and uncomfortable stage. Give them a try and also try Anbesol liquid (not the gel). You will need to go to the counter of a pharmacy for this but it is very very effective

You're a paediatrician and you're advising a parent to give Anbesol to a 3 month old baby?! Hmm
NameChange30 · 14/04/2021 11:24

Cross post! Phew

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Milkand2sugarsplease · 14/04/2021 11:27

Blimey, What a way to help a new mum!!

I was in this position (for something other than teething) and spoke to the my GP, nurse, HV and DS's consultant about my worry of too much calpol. I was basically told that one dose of paracetamol daily for the rest of his life wouldn't do any harm and if it helped him get some sleep in the short term then we were all better off for it.

As a toddler DS then ended up having his tonsils out and for 2 weeks was prescribed full (weight based dose, not calpol bottle dose) dose paracetamol and ibuprofen each day.

We all know there are dangers with long term, full dose use if medications but let's not terrify the poor OP into never giving calpol again.

notalwaysalondoner · 14/04/2021 11:33

Agree with speaking to a pharmacist - of course it won't harm in (you should see the pain relief drugs they pump into kids in hospitals) but if it's continuing for weeks/months you'll need to explore alternatives. Don't listen to all the panickers here saying it's awful and will give him health issues etc. Talk to a professional pharmacist.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 14/04/2021 11:36

For a few nights it's absolutely fine. Are you absolutely certain it's a tooth?

Sleepisoverrated150 · 14/04/2021 11:39

You can give pain killers everyday there are plenty of people on long term pain killers. Pharma companies put contact doctors after 3 days so that they dont get into law suits.

Ideally you shouldn’t give them it any longer than needed. I would contact your GP for advice but your current usage of a week shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

I second anbesol, my LO doesn’t react well to other teething products they don’t seem to make any difference.

I design / formulate these products for a living 😊

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 14/04/2021 11:41

If you're sure it's a tooth, usually ibuprofen is more effective than calpol, although I've got none in the house so don't know how old they should be before being given that.
Ashton parsons powders are pretty good, but from what I remember, quite hard to get a hold of.
People can be very over dramatic on here. On dose of calpol at night is not going to harm your baby, even if youbdid it for a week.
I was in hospital with ds when he was 6 weeks old for a week and they gave it to him more than once every day.

katnyps · 14/04/2021 11:41

@FTEngineerM

Omg no wonder people had issues with seizures and other brain issues if that was how it was being administered!! To be honest I can imagine having done the same if I just bought it at a supermarket and didn't bother reading the leaflet... at least if you have to get it from a pharmacist they can highlight the proper way to use it....

Sleepisoverrated150 · 14/04/2021 11:41

Ahh just seen they add under 5 months so can’t use anbesol. Can you freeze some milk into a lolly pop?

SeaTurtles92 · 14/04/2021 11:44

No you can't give calpol every day but I think some of the replies on here have been really harsh.

We use teetha granules and they are brilliant.

Sleepisoverrated150 · 14/04/2021 11:47

Should have added that nurofen does have efficacy upto 6 hours over calpol at 4 hours so I prefer nurofen for over night.

You aren’t a bad mum, you haven’t harmed your baby and it’s hard work. You aren’t alone. 💐

JudesBiggestFan · 14/04/2021 11:47

I have three boys, all were terrible teethers - for short periods they all had calpol and nurofen alternately til the worst had passed. Along with teethers, anbesol liquid, teething granules etc.
At night though, nurofen was absolutely necessary (definitely better than Calpol). It's not some experimental drug, it's fine to use in the recommended dose to ease a baby's pain. I'd like to see some of these posters cope with teeth bursting through their gums without any pain relief!
My boys are 12,9 and 3 now, all fine, healthy, no asthma. And lovely healthy teeth confirmed by the dentist yesterday! This phase passes OP...I remember the despair, but it does. You're doing fine.

stilldazed · 14/04/2021 11:51

Do not give paracetamol every day!!

3 months is incredibly young. Sounds much more like colic than teething

pinkywinks · 14/04/2021 11:57

Wow, I don't understand why the majority of people would say it's bad to give a baby who's in pain LESS than the maximum daily dose of a very safe drug? Of course it's ok!! I have a family member who's a paediatric nurse specialist who absolutely advocated the use of medication when my DC were small and in pain.

Some babies really struggle with teething. And as a PP said Anbesol liquid which so many people swear by is lidocaine which is more unsafe for babies anyway Hmm

Nurofen is better for teething and longer lasting OP, so I used to give calpol if needed during the day and if still bad at bed time I gave nurofen.

SunshineCake · 14/04/2021 11:59

Rub some muslin on the baby's gums often. That will toughen the gums so when the teeth cut through it doesn't hurt quite as much. Teething lasts for months. Stop giving calpol now as the baby will get used to it, even after just a few days.

winifredwells · 14/04/2021 12:00

I don't understand why the majority of people would say it's bad to give a baby who's in pain LESS than the maximum daily dose of a very safe drug?

there's no such thing as a "very safe" drug.

Using painkillers like sweets is very dangerous.

DungeonKeeper · 14/04/2021 12:01

The OP isn’t using painkillers like sweets, she’s giving one dose a day! FFS. I hate threads like this.

KurtWilde · 14/04/2021 12:04

God some of the replies on this thread are mind boggling! It's a wonder my kids survived past infancy at that rate, because I always gave painkillers if they were in pain!

Fieldsofstars · 14/04/2021 12:10

It’s got to be better than giving them teething granules 🙄 @KurtWilde

Clearly when I’ve got a toothache or something I should be drinking water that has at some point had chamomile in it.

imalmostthere · 14/04/2021 12:12

You absolutely can give calpol daily if pain relief is needed. One dose a day isn't going to cause any issues. It's not like she's giving him it everyday for a month.
Op is giving far below the maximum dose, and the amount of paracetamol in Calpol is tiny.
If the pain relief is having an effect then he clearly needed it. Lollipops and frozen rings for a 3 month old is ridiculous, he's a tiny baby he can hardly pop it on the effected area himself can he.
However, I would indeed see a gp as the nighttime only pattern of pain seems unlikely it's teething.

Artesia · 14/04/2021 12:15

@Itsmeagainandagain

It's not about the calpol or how often she gives the calpol as in every night it's to keep herself right.. So by calling her doctor or even NHS 24 and asking look I've given baby a spoonful of calpol everynight for teething is that OK and can I continue, that way it's logged and if God forbids anything happens and kid needs hospital care she has kept herself right by informing medical staff he was given calpol.. So nobody pulls her up for anything
No wonder the NHS is on its knees and people can’t get GP appointments if others are using appointments to “log” giving kids one appropriate dose of painkiller for a few consecutive evenings. That’s just ridiculous.
phodopus · 14/04/2021 12:19

@winifredwells

I don't understand why the majority of people would say it's bad to give a baby who's in pain LESS than the maximum daily dose of a very safe drug?

there's no such thing as a "very safe" drug.

Using painkillers like sweets is very dangerous.

I'm confused as to why people are suggesting that OP giving a screaming teething baby pain relief is like giving sweets or drugging them to be quiet. If the baby was old enough to verbalise their pain, we wouldn't call it drugging them so they shut up? We would call it treating their pain.
OverTheRainbow88 · 14/04/2021 12:22

I find they go through phases where they need loads then ages with none. My eldest had a lot from about 6-12 month then probably none until he broke his arm when he was 4.

As long as you follow the instructions and correct doses it’s ok

fairburn · 14/04/2021 12:23

I gave my son calpol when he was in pain. Sometimes that was everyday for a week at a time.

It's fine.

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