What makes you feel confident as a parent when your DC is feeling under the weather? Tell Nurofen for Children for a chance to win a £250 Love2Shop voucher! NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

Nurofen for Children have asked us to find out whether Mumsnetters feel confident in making decisions on their DC’s health. We’d also love to know what would make you feel more confident in these kinds of decisions.

Here’s what Nurofen for Children says, “Our research shows that 7 in 10 parents feel judged on the decisions they make for their children and a quarter of those surveyed said the health of their child is the most difficult subject to make decisions on. As parents, you want health advice you can trust. Nurofen for Children is trusted by parents - 9/10 parents who used it would recommend it to a friend*. If your child is struck down with cold, pain or fever, Nurofen for Children offers products to help manage their symptoms. It starts to work in just 15 minutes to bring down a temperature and is clinically proven to last longer than paracetemol to relieve a fever.”

So, what makes you feel confident in making health-related decisions? Would you like more support and if so, from who? Would you like more practical advice on treating your child’s symptoms? Would you like more resources available from your pharmacist? Or is it emotional support that would help your confidence? Would you appreciate more help from your partner or more advice from your friends? Whatever it is, we’d love to hear it.

Everyone who leaves their comments below will be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

Terms and conditions
• To enter the competition simply post a comment below telling us what makes you feel better when you’re down with a winter bug
• Competition closes on 22nd December 2014.
• Entries posted after the closing date will not be considered
• One winner will be chosen from all entries
• Entrants must be aged 18 or over
• Competition hosted by Mumsnet, Deane House Studios (Studio 6), Greenwood Place, Highgate Road, London, NW5 1LB
• Mumsnet will choose the winner at random after the closing date
• Mumsnet will contact the winner privately to organise delivery of the prize
• The prize is £250 Love2Shop vouchers
• Full T&Cs can be found here.

*Survey of Survey of 2,000 parents by OnePoll. March 2014

**Survey by Mum's Views of 225 mums ‘9 out of 10 mums who used NfC would recommend it to a friend’. Last accessed August 2013

EI: Nurofen for Children Cold Pain & Fever 3 months to 9 years Orange / Strawberry. Nurofen for Children Orange / Strawberry 3 months to 12 years. Contains Ibuprofen. For relief of cold, pain and fever. Always read the label.

Having a digital thermometer is very helpful. We had used one of the colour changing strips but found it hard to keep our little one still for long enough. Knowing how my children are when they are happy and healthy means i'm able to identify with some degree of success when they look unwell. Having a bottle of medicine like calpol or neurofen is good but i don find branded ones quite pricey compare to tesco or morisson own label.

What makes you feel confident in making health-related decisions?
Speaking with other parents and our local pharmacist

Would you like more support and if so, from who?
Health visitors, other than weighing babies I'm not really sure what they do

Would you like more practical advice on treating your child’s symptoms?
No I think I'm pretty confident but this could be a leaflet etc handed out at pharmacies when purchasing Neurofen etc

Would you like more resources available from your pharmacist?
I think pharmacists are an underused tool in the UK, in France you see a pharmacist before you go to the doctor. They have a wealth of knowledge and we should ask them for advice more often

Or is it emotional support that would help your confidence? Would you appreciate more help from your partner or more advice from your friends?
It would be nice for family and friends to understand that a little one being ill can be very nerve wrecking and stressful for some, a little support and comfort would go a long way

So, what makes you feel confident in making health-related decisions?
I am usually confident in making health related decisions, based on experience and a bit of medical knowledge. I always like to have some support from a doctor or 111 if it seems particularly bad though as I've had some scary experiences in the past that no one could've predicted.

Would you like more support and if so, from who?
I'm happy with the level of support I have from my GP. They're just round the corner from the house and it's easy to be seen on the same day. They're very knowledgeable and take the worry away.

Would you like more practical advice on treating your child’s symptoms?
No, if I'm convinced the diagnosis is correct, I am confident in treating symptoms.

Would you like more resources available from your pharmacist? Or is it emotional support that would help your confidence?
My pharmacist is very helpful and full of advice. I think they should be consulted more by people as so many are quick to go to their GP.
I am lucky enough to have doctors in my family so I usually consult them to reassure me if I'm lacking confidence.

Would you appreciate more help from your partner or more advice from your friends? My partner is not too helpful as I don't think he's as knowledgeable as me! He's also not too great with the practical side either. It's always up to me to help the DC's if they're ill. This is kind of fair enough though as he works long hours whereas I'm at home.

I spend a lot of time on the NHS official pages checking standard symptoms and making sure I know what the signs of potential complications would be.

And what makes me feel better when I'm ill is my husband taking the day off so I can stay in bed while he watches the kids and have him look after me!

A trusted family doctor that you know you can get hold of would be invaluable. One that could know you and your family well and give advice.
First aid courses made available for new parents, that you could book from your surgery.
Info on common conditions in one book would be a brilliant resource for parents.
I always struggle to know whether some things are viral or bacterial and therfore wether anti b's are needed.
Some good preventative health advice would be welcome.
On a nurofen specific note, the box and the bottle often become separated in our house and in the past the dosage per age info hasn't been on the bottle's label. We've had to use the internet in the night time at times to look up the dose which doesn't inspire confidence when you're tired.

I think it would be handy to advertise when to get medical help, for example, not necessarily for a temperature of 37.5 with a sniffle but definitely with a temperature of 39 and sore ears - or is this common sense for everyone?

I find it hard not to assume people will automatically visit the GP with very cough, cold and sneeze, but perhaps I underestimate people.

I do however think most definitely it would be helpful if Nurofen wrote clearly whether it needs to be taken with food. Adult doses come with a warning not to take on empty stomach but I've noticed the hold version doesn't. Since it can contribute to stomach ulcers I wonder of that is a risk just for adults or whether children's Nurofen has some sort of antacid properties?

I do feel confident with a lot of my decisions and am always thankful for Nurofen AND calpol so I can stagger doses for pain relief. I didn't know Nurofen was better for log lasting antipyretic properties though, so have learned that today! It's funny because instinctively I often reached for Nurofen first (depending on the ailment).

I feel comfortable making health based decisions but I think that is in part down to neither child having been seriously ill. I usually have some idea of what is going around in their peer group, the playgroup is always warning us about things other children have, and I work in a medical field, which helps.

I also think I am exceptionally lucky (compared to some MNetters anyway)with our GP, during opening hours you can phone and be put through to the duty doctor for advice and usually pop in as soon as you want. Similarly, the pharmacy is attached to the practice, so if I go in to ask the pharmacist something, they can call upstairs to the doctor if necessary. I think that sort of co-operation should be rolled out across the board. I also found NHS24 to be very good when I have used them.

I have 4 children and I find I am quite chilled about any illness iv experience of before. But new illnesses always feel a little scary!
It's great to be able to check symptoms with other people whose kids have had similar symptoms, you don't always want to go to the Dr just because you don't know what is wrong.
I tend to treat symptoms in kids and so some pain relief and vapour rub are our most used medications!

I like to use the internet if I'm sure about a symptom or to find out more...or advice from a pharmacist or nurse is also great!

I used to be fairly clueless about children's health, so probably went to see the gp more often than was necessary for reassurance. Now I have two kids I am more relaxed about things as I know a lot more and am hopefully able to distinguish between very minor ailments and more serious ones needing professional help.

My gp's are all lovely (it's a fairly big practice so there are a lot of them) but it can be a nightmare trying to get through on the phone to make an appointment.

I have a medical background, and tend to use this but it's so hard to be rational with your own children. I think there needs to be more encouragement of the use of pharmacies, as you can drop in so easily, and they will be able to tell much better whether you might need a GP or not. I also think nurses/HV could be better used for cough and cold triage.

Ibuprofen is the best for bringing down a temperature. My dh is much more confident about demanding doctors help than I am, I end up dangling on the phone to 111 for ages

What makes you feel confident in making health-related decisions?
Using our ear thermometer, and jst more experience.

Would you like more support and if so, from who?
Was angry with Nurse and GP because my first baby had a high temperature straight after their first injection so I did not know this was a common reaction, and took her to A and E.

Would you like more practical advice on treating your child’s symptoms?
I usually can get all I need from Web and also from book we bought 11 years ago, called "what to do when your child is ill"

Would you like more resources available from your pharmacist?
Not really

Or is it emotional support that would help your confidence? Would you appreciate more help from your partner or more advice from your friends?
WOuld like to be believed when I say I think child is ill.
I would like school to be more supportive, sometimes they genuinely seem totally fine in morning but show symptoms later in the day.

firstly what does DC stand for, something child? Not familiar with it! however when son small it was hard as I had him in October and in December he had his first cold and illness, it was on my birthday and I was ill too. I had to call out the GP and when I apologised I was made to feel as though I'd done something wrong, even though I didn't drive, couldn't get there as ill myself. So hard if you are on your own with a baby and no help around.

should have added rest!
What makes you feel confident in making health-related decisions?
looking up in a book back then, there was no internet! The internet and support groups would help.

Would you like more support and if so, from who?
Health visitors definitely

Would you like more practical advice on treating your child’s symptoms?
A chemist should always be on hand to ask

Would you like more resources available from your pharmacist?
Definitely a good idea

Or is it emotional support that would help your confidence? Would you appreciate more help from your partner or more advice from your friends?
Not everyone has family help, I didn't so a health visitor or support helper would have been a godsend. My husband used to work extremely long days so it was like being a single parent sometimes

I dont think I have ever felt judged, really - GPs are great, and always happy to see a poorly child even if it turns out to be nothing much. I do recall when DC1 was very little not being sure whether to take him, and neurotically monitoring his temperature (I rarely bother nowadays as I can generally tell by feel / how they are). The one time he was really Ill it was because he was allergic to penicillin, and we definitely waited too long that time.

OTOH when I made a double appointment for him and me when we had matching ear infections, the GP checked mine, then his, and said to him "are you sure it hurts, because Mummy's is MUCH worse?" [Grin] - I don't think he has ever quite forgiven that one.

What gives me confidence is knowing my child. I made a judgement call today, that other family members had been telling me I was wrong about. Well, I wasn't wrong. The professional I consulted had also begun noticing things about my child that concerned them, and my discussion with them has started a process that may lead to positive interventions 6-12m earlier than might otherwise have been the case.

We have a great paediatrician. He is hugely flexible about last minute appointments and very safe pair of hands in saying its fine and just give some neurogenic or suggesting further tests as required. He has known the kids since they are little and very practical and kind.

DH isn't a pharmacist but he is the retail manager of a pharmacy so I get lots of up to date info that way (eg when rules changed about cough medicine age limits)

MN of course is an excellent source of advice and comfort when I'm worried about my DCs. It really helps to hear people's experiences directly, rather than just reading info on regular websites. I do use google, especially for things like rashes (slap cheek is doing the rounds at school for example, so I searched images to see exactly what it looks like) but prefer MN.

The doctors at our surgery are generally lovely which helps a lot - for example at the moment we are pursuing some psychological help for my extremely anxious 7yo. It can be hard to get an appt though, but luckily we have a walk in centre as well.

I do have a lot of faith in my instinct though, I can usually tell what needs doing.

I had a great GP with my first child. Very experienced and sensible. I could ring with concerns - do you need to see this child - and have a sensible phone call back from them within an hour.

It worked both ways - I was happy and confident t manage my child, and they didn't have an anxious mother with a hot baby in surgery every 4th day.

I feel pretty confident in dealing with my 7 year old ds when he is poorly but openly admit that touch wood he's been a healthy child with nothing more than the occasional cold/stomach upset.

I have a community nurse living next door that I have called on a couple of times, in a kinda "is this ok or does it need to be stiched" kinda way. I also have a wonderful GP (((waves)))) who is honest and caring with her advice.

I think the only thing that I can think of that would be of benefit would be a service where you could get advice from the pharmacist in a "is this just xxx and should we ride it out with calpol and rest or should we been seen by a GP/minor injuries/out of hours

I try to avoid giving drugs for pain or fever. I read about Calpol having long-term effects on children but have not researched Nurofen. I feel that I have become a better nurse and more able to identify when to step in with drugs and how to help the body heal itself, especially wth fever. I keep Nurofen at home and take it on holiday for the DCs in case of emergency. I think it is a hard balance to reach, we are encouraged to give medicine to help children carry on instead of letting them be ill and rest, even DC school said they ought to go in unless they were severely ill... not what we would choose. I don't often call on the Dr and if I do our NHS GP is anthroposophic so they would be able to support our general philosophy.

As other posters have stated the more experiences you have with illnesses the more confident you get at treating them. I always try and give my children lots of fluids when they are ill and only start with medicines when rest and water don't seem to be helping, I will never forget the time my ds1 who's now ten was 1 and he had bronchillitus (unsure how to spell it) and at the hospital the doctor told me to give him both cal pol and nurofen at the same time! I was soo shocked and thought it might overdose him or summit but it helped loads I would never known I could do that.

I am confident in caring for my children if they are ill. I don't turn straight to medicines if they have a temperature or pain as they are old enough to gauge if they can handle it or if they need it. We very rarely see a doctor but I know (touch wood) that we have been very fortunate.

The hardest part is deciding who takes time off work to look after them. We both feel very judged if we have time off for ill children so will lie and say it is one of us who is sick. Not ideal but you have to do what you have to do.