Giving Calpol ALL the time!

[Earrrrr]

Has anyone been through a stage like this? Where it feels like I'm using Calpol all the time?!

My son has had a really rough few months. He had bronch and was in hospital first, then when he came out he had about a week where he was okay then he caught a horrid virus (not Covid) where he needed Calpol /Ibuprofen every 4 hours for about a week and a half to control his temp and now he has a perforated ear drum for the same virus which he seems uncomfortable with and the GP says may take a few weeks to heal.

Oh and he's got two teeth coming too!

All in all he's had Calpol or ibuprofen every day for about the past 3 and a half weeks!

The GP has seen him for all of these things and they have been the ones to tell me to give him pain relief but I just feel like it's too much but of course in the same token I can't stop giving him pain relief if he needs it!

I asked the pharmacist about this recently as dd had back to back ear infections and they said it was fine.

I think you go through phases where you use it loads and then not for years. Between 8-12 months all the time from About 2-5 years old never until my son broke his collar bone and then had it 4 times a day for weeks and then not since!

@rainbowandglitter why would you wait until a child's temp is above 40 before doing anything about it. That's dangerous and leaving baby vulnerable to febrile seizures.

It's funny OP because I was wondering the same thing about giving too much calpol. Though admittedly for me it's only been 2 days.

Paracetamol is actually way more effective at controlling pain if given regularly and if needed, carry on!

The problem with overuse of calpol is people using it at the drop of a hat because they think it's done kind of harmless happiness juice or that it makes children go to sleep.

Giving calpol for a fever or pain isn't overusing it. That's not the same thing and it isn't helpful to pretend that it is.

It's like people who say they don't want to contribute to antibiotics overuse so stop taking them before the course is finished (wrong) or avoid taking them when they are really ill and actually need it. Obviously stockpiling them and taking when not prescribed or lying about symptoms so that they will be prescribed for a virus isn't helpful, but those things are actually bad. Taking them properly when you are ill isn't bad.

People do seem to lack any kind of common sense or critical thinking skills or sense of nuance though. Oooh overusing calpol is bad, therefore any normal use of it must be scrutinised. It's not black or white. Calpol is great when used appropriately. Not so great if used inappropriately.

[quote Ostryga]@ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy were you still a baby at the time with your organs still growing?

It’s not mum shaming, it’s scientific fact and people need to be aware of what they are giving their children. Ignorance is not an excuse anymore with the ability to Google a research paper in 2 seconds[/quote]
I'd be keen to know which research papers these are please? A two second Google scholar search also pulls up papers that have done lit reviews which conclude that paracetamol does not cause liver damage in babies or infants when given at the correct dosage.

Keen to read the other papers you refer to, to see what the difference is between them.

I'm sure they now don't advise trying to bring a child's temperature down unless it goes over 40

I've been in hospital twice in the past month with him. I can assure you they do.

@Earrrrr, clearly your child's doctors didn't consult with the MN Calpol keyboard warriors before giving you that advice.

I'm very wary about temperatures in little ones as my firstborn had a febrile seizure and, as common as they may be, it was the most terrifying and awful moment of my life. I didn't give him Calpol that time as I was trying to be good and not be too dependent.. regrets, I've had a few.

I remember being hospitalised myself in my twenties and a rather brusque doctor asked me if I'd taken paracetamol for being so ill. I was so out of it, I hadn't even thought of it, and he remarked sarcastically, "Do you LIKE being in pain?!"

So, unless your child likes being in pain, I think it's down to us as parents to try our best to make their lives as comfortable as possible! It feels as if it's never ending, but it'll all come out the other side eventually. Lots of get well wishes to the little one.

@DukkaTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly

You don’t always need to treat a temperature if the child is happy playing or not unsettled, I wouldn’t give my DC calpol just because they were hot if otherwise they were ok. But having a temperature can make you feel miserable, so I would give it then.

One of mine refuses to take any form of calpol and prefers to ride it out. I also know that one of my other DC will happily carry on playing even with a temperature but when he stops playing is when I worry more so I will give some calpol as they obviously feel rubbish.

The height of the temperature doesn’t necessarily relate to how ill they are, and as a pp said, it’s not the height of the temperature that causes a febrile convulsion, it’s the speed it rises. I tend to look at what else is going on with my DC rather than just the number on the thermometer. It’s what we get taught in nursing.

I appreciate that. A doctor at the hospital told me I needed to give him paracetamol / ibuprofen every 4 hours for at least 4-5 days when he got taken in by the ambulance. They told me that. He had a particularly nasty virus which has now caused his ear drum to perforate as well.

He was given calpol and ibuprofen in hospital by the nurses when he had bronchiolitis because of his temp. They definitely do use it to bring down a temp. And often it wasn't over 40 those times either. But yes he was pretty miserable with it too.

My experience has been different. There are a lot of articles out there that state there's no need to stop a fever under 40. A fever under 40 isn't dangerous. Obviously if there's an ear infection etc then there will be an accompanying pain which calpol would benefit.

@rainbowandglitter

My experience has been different. There are a lot of articles out there that state there's no need to stop a fever under 40. A fever under 40 isn't dangerous. Obviously if there's an ear infection etc then there will be an accompanying pain which calpol would benefit.

Articles don't trump actual medical advice, which the OP has had (as have many of us).

Yes but it seems to be you who is out of date rainbow.

I was under the same impression as you so it must be fairly recently it has changed. Although like most things there isn't one specific set of guidance that all medical professionals follow at all times. But certainly that seems to be congruent with the OP's also recent experience.

Here’s some good temperature advice.

When he was in hospital the second time for this virus I was told to give it for 4-5 days alternating every 4 hours between paracetamol and ibuprofen or if his temp was over 39.5 and not coming down after the first dose, I could give another dose of the other medicine. So if I'd given paracetamol and it didn't come down I could give ibuprofen. That is what they did in the hospital, they gave him both together and they specifically told me not to let it get to that point before giving medicine. He said you don't want to wait until your child gets to a temp of 40 before treating it.

That may not be what you've heard but that is literally what a paediatric doctor in the hospital told me a matter of weeks ago. He's also seen the GP a handful of times over this period of repeated illness.

And yes he mentioned risk of seizures as a reason why you don't just leave a temp to rise.

But children can have a seizure regardless of their temperature. There’s a lot about paediatric temperatures and how we should be treating them on the twitterverse currently.

@BertieBotts

Yes but it seems to be you who is out of date rainbow.

I was under the same impression as you so it must be fairly recently it has changed. Although like most things there isn't one specific set of guidance that all medical professionals follow at all times. But certainly that seems to be congruent with the OP's also recent experience.

I've also had recent medical advice. I guess different doctors have different opinions. At the end of the day everyone is just doing what they feel is best for their child. Although op did ask for opinions then told me mine was wrong

Although op did ask for opinions then told me mine was wrong

I actually didn't ask for your advice on when I should or shouldn't be giving calpol if you read my OP. I already stated quite clearly in it that he has seen medical professionals who have told me to use it.

@Earrrrr

And yes he mentioned risk of seizures as a reason why you don't just leave a temp to rise.

Seizures are harmless, obviously very scary but harmless nonetheless

To be totally clear I am really not asking for people to post articles or links to videos about not giving calpol for X or Y or to inform me that the multiple doctors I've spoken to are incorrect as if I'd go against their advice because someone on MN said so.

That's not at all what my OP was about.

Seizures are harmless, obviously very scary but harmless nonetheless

If you'd prefer to leave your child to have a seizure than just give them some calpol then that's really up to you. My doctor advised me to try and avoid that, so I will. But thank you.

Actually I’m a childrens nurse, but ok. 🙄

There is generally a lot of incorrect medical advice on here, as usual I need to remember not to bother.

@Earrrrr

To be totally clear I am really not asking for people to post articles or links to videos about not giving calpol for X or Y or to inform me that the multiple doctors I've spoken to are incorrect as if I'd go against their advice because someone on MN said so.

That's not at all what my OP was about.

You said yourself you feel that you're giving him too much calpol. I agreed with you and now you're arguing against me. I'm not sure what you want from this thread but I hope your ds feels better soon.

@DukkaTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly

Actually I’m a childrens nurse, but ok. 🙄

There is generally a lot of incorrect medical advice on here, as usual I need to remember not to bother.

Okay but with all due respect how would I know that? I've seen doctors who've told me to do this. I'm sure you are who you say you are but to me you're just someone posting on a forum who could say you were anything at all.