Do you keep medication in for minded children?

[Mouse]

At our group this morning we were talking about giving medication to minded children and I seemed to be the only one who doesn't keep a supply of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen in the cupboard, just in case a child should need it.

Do you all have them in your cupboard or does anyone else not keep them in?

I guess if your own children are younger you might have them in anyway, but what if your children are older? Do other childcare settings (nurseries, playgroups) have their own supply?

I'm wondering now if I ought to buy some, although I have never had an incident when I've thought to myself "if only I had a bottle of calpol in the cupboard!"
I was made to feel that I'd be letting children suffer unnecessarily if they needed pain relief and I didn't have any :(

[BallyH]

At our group this morning we were talking about giving medication to minded children and I seemed to be the only one who doesn't keep a supply of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen in the cupboard, just in case a child should need it.

Do you all have them in your cupboard or does anyone else not keep them in?

I guess if your own children are younger you might have them in anyway, but what if your children are older? Do other childcare settings (nurseries, playgroups) have their own supply?

I'm wondering now if I ought to buy some, although I have never had an incident when I've thought to myself "if only I had a bottle of calpol in the cupboard!"
I was made to feel that I'd be letting children suffer unnecessarily if they needed pain relief and I didn't have any :(

I don't have anything suitable. Parents have to supply their own if they think their child will need it during the day. And if a child takes ill, they will have to go home. But this hasn't happened very often.
My youngest son is 13 now so he would be on adult medication if needed.

[chris goodyear]

My children are all adults now but yes I do always keep infant calpol in the cupboard. I know most parents provide it (and they should) but there's always one that doesn't and I have permission to give it. I write it up and the parent signs at pick up. I would rather do this than have the situation where a child develops a fever and I can't get it down while waiting for the parents as this is potentially serious.

[Maza]

I think I would to be honest. Like you say, I've got calpol/nurofen in anyway as have a young DD. I do ask parents to provide their own as well but in the past I have used my own bottle on them. It would take most of the parents of mine at least an hour to get here and I just don't like fevers creeping up whilst they are in my care. One of my old mindees had had a febrile convulsion in the past (not whilst with me) and some of the others we have are still young and so don't necessarily know if they are prone to fitting. You would have to keep an eye on the use by date as you probably/hopefully wouldn't be using it frequently enough to need to renew it before the expiry date. x

[lollipop kid]

At our group this morning we were talking about giving medication to minded children and I seemed to be the only one who doesn't keep a supply of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen in the cupboard, just in case a child should need it.

Do you all have them in your cupboard or does anyone else not keep them in?

I guess if your own children are younger you might have them in anyway, but what if your children are older? Do other childcare settings (nurseries, playgroups) have their own supply?

I'm wondering now if I ought to buy some, although I have never had an incident when I've thought to myself "if only I had a bottle of calpol in the cupboard!"
I was made to feel that I'd be letting children suffer unnecessarily if they needed pain relief and I didn't have any :(

Mouse, like you, I don't keep any non-prescribed medicines on the premises. Parents know this and understand my reasoning behind it, which is that if a child is so ill that they need me to administer infant paracetamol or infant ibuprofen, then they really should not be in childcare.

Similarly, if a child was to sustain an injury that meant that I had to think about giving them pain relief, then I would have contacted the parent the moment the child had been injured, and would expect the child to be collected and cared for by their parent or taken to be medically checked. (Luckily, this has not ever happened. I have to admit, I had not even considered such a scenario.)

To summarise, then, I don't keep non-prescribed medication at my setting.

Some childminders I know have children who are susceptible to having a fit if their temperature goes above a certain point. I can understand them keeping some in 'just in case', but again, I would prefer parents to keep an ill child at home rather than expect them to be up to a full day in a busy setting.

I hope it helps,

LK

[kellib]

I don't keep any in my house, my own son is 10 so any medication I have it 6+.

Parents know they have to supply it but none have so any child with a temp gets sent home!

[Simona]

The problem for this issue is that EYFS 2012 condensed what was a very clear statement on medicines in the EYFS 2008 with DfE 'edu speak'
The requirement has not really been changed...it has been shortened using the very same words and therefore confusing.

If you have medicines for a particular child you need to store it away, with child's own name, date of birth and expiry date.
You give that medicine ONLY to that child because you have consent from the parent to do so on 'each' occasion.

We are not allowed to buy medicines and have them in stock and administer to any child.

[JCrakers]

I do keep a bottle in the cupboard. This is used for temperatures and parents are rang/texted to pick up the child. If the parent is 40-45mins away I would rather give the child some Calpol which has already been signed for when the child started. If they have some in their bag or in my cupboard, named then I use that but if for some reason I don't have any from home then I use mine.
Usually the child has some because its something I ask for to keep in the cupboard named but if, for some reason it's not in there or has ran out.

I don't give it for anything else other than an unexpected temperature as I know how high they can potentially go. My brother had a fit when he was 2yrs old and I remember it well...I was 12.

I know Simona has stressed the fact that we shouldn't give un-named medicine so this is probably something I will look into changing.

[JCrakers]

The problem for this issue is that EYFS 2012 condensed what was a very clear statement on medicines in the EYFS 2008 with DfE 'edu speak'
The requirement has not really been changed...it has been shortened using the very same words and therefore confusing.

If you have medicines for a particular child you need to store it away, with child's own name, date of birth and expiry date.
You give that medicine ONLY to that child because you have consent from the parent to do so on 'each' occasion.

We are not allowed to buy medicines and have them in stock and administer to any child.


Can it be over the phone consent/text ? It cant be written consent every time can it

I had an 8yr old break his arm at the park and Mum asked me to give him some pain relief as she was 20mins away. I had some in the cupboard and gave him some, which took the edge off. The hospital said what a lovely childminder I was apparently, I couldn't have let him sit there in pain for 20mins

[Mouse]

This all leads me on to another question...

do you all have thermometers so you can take the children's temperatures?

[Simona]

Can it be over the phone consent/text ? It cant be written consent every time can it

I had an 8yr old break his arm at the park and Mum asked me to give him some pain relief as she was 20mins away. I had some in the cupboard and gave him some, which took the edge off. The hospital said what a lovely childminder I was apparently, I couldn't have let him sit there in pain for 20mins

If a parent provides you with a bottle of Calpol or Nurofen for their child to be stored at your setting and used when necessary I would then call the parent and ask for permission to administer if ...say...a child has suddenly developed a temperature

Once permission is obtained I would give the medicine and put 'permission given over the phone' ...date and ask parent to countersign in the evening.

For certain medication ...such as Piriton...which is given for a sudden reaction/allergy, time is of the essence...so in that case I would have a separate permission for me to administer immediately as delay would cause worst reaction.
Each case has to be clearly agreed with the parents

As long as the medicine has been provided by the parents for their child then you can give it because they have allowed
you do so....just label it carefully

[kellib]

This all leads me on to another question... do you all have thermometers so you can take the children's temperatures?

Yes I do have one

[moggy]

If a parent provides you with a bottle of Calpol or Nurofen for their child to be stored at your setting and used when necessary I would then call the parent and ask for permission to administer if ...say...a child has suddenly developed a temperature

Once permission is obtained I would give the medicine and put 'permission given over the phone' ...date and ask parent to countersign in the evening.

For certain medication ...such as Piriton...which is given for a sudden reaction/allergy, time is of the essence...so in that case I would have a separate permission for me to administer immediately as delay would cause worst reaction.
Each case has to be clearly agreed with the parents

As long as the medicine has been provided by the parents for their child then you can give it because they have allowed
you do so....just label it carefully

Same here. I don't agree with having your own bottle 'just in case'- it needs to be provided for the specific child, named.

These are drugs we are dealing with, if a child has some reaction they will be looking at what exactly did you give them- if it is your personal bottle you are open to all kinds of allogations of tampering/incorrect storage/out-of-date/contamination etc.

So if you want to store paracetamol for mindees and have 5 children that would be 5 named bottles, all to be checked for best-before-dates... which is another reason why I do not keep it at my setting. I have only done it when a child has a condition that makes it more necessary (like febrile convulsions).

I always ask parents for a near-by emergency contact so there should not be a long delay before they get to me, if a child is in need.

[Maza]

This all leads me on to another question...

do you all have thermometers so you can take the children's temperatures?

Yes, I do. I have the digital ear one from Mothercare. I love it - well, as far as thermometers go, that is. I am paranoid about fevers.

[watford wizz]

Iv had a couple of cp cases where parents were dosing children "so they will sleep" "we can manage them easier" so after consulting with my insurance and legal team now don't give any meds unless they are prescribed by a doctor for a specific child/illness. I also log everything a parent/carer tells me and get them to sign x3 to give permission, confirm why, to confirm dosage before and after giving. I think you would be on very dodgy ground giving one child's meds to another or your "own" bottle.

[rickysmiths]

At our group this morning we were talking about giving medication to minded children and I seemed to be the only one who doesn't keep a supply of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen in the cupboard, just in case a child should need it.

Do you all have them in your cupboard or does anyone else not keep them in?

I guess if your own children are younger you might have them in anyway, but what if your children are older? Do other childcare settings (nurseries, playgroups) have their own supply?

I'm wondering now if I ought to buy some, although I have never had an incident when I've thought to myself "if only I had a bottle of calpol in the cupboard!"
I was made to feel that I'd be letting children suffer unnecessarily if they needed pain relief and I didn't have any :(

I don't and never have. There has only been one time when I called the parents to collect but knew they would be an hour so Dad text permission for Calpol and my son popped to the local shop to get it. I used one spoonful and I threw the bottle away this summer after having it unused in the cupboard for 3.5 years!

I have administered prescribed Calpol for specific reason, I have recently had a little one who suffered Febrile Convulsions so I had some for him provided by his parents but that is very different.

[rickysmiths]

This all leads me on to another question...

do you all have thermometers so you can take the children's temperatures?

No I have never had a thermometer in the house, not for my own or minded children. It is a case of know your child and I know when they have a temp. Had one on Friday, called Dad. removed clothing from the child and let the temp cool down. I have used moist towels in the past but yo have to be very very careful not to get the child too cold too quickly.

[lollipop kid]

I bought the same one that my Doctor uses, and I've since seen it used a lot in our local hospital (when my DS was being treated for something). It's a Braun ThermoScan (if I"m allowed to say that) that works by being placed in the ear.

I find it very reliable. The first test for me if I think a child might be a bit off colour is to do 'head to head' (where I put my forehead to their to see if they feel warmer than me). If they feel notably warmer than me, then I use my thermometer every half hour, and in between, text the parents to warn them that the child may need collected should the temperature continue to rise and I can't get it down by the usual cooling methods (taking a layer of clothing off; cool flannels etc.)

I make a point of showing the parents the thermometer that I use, and quite a few of them use the same one now, so that we are all on the same page.

Hope it helps,

LK

[loocyloo]

I don't have a thermometer.

I did, but when ds was a baby he had a febrile convulsion and I was very panicked about him having another one.

I had a long chat with my gp and decided to get rid of thermometer and just go by feeling the temp of the back of the neck and by knowing how 'hot' my children usually are. If I ever think anyone is getting a bit hot, it's a quick strip off and cool down.

[clareelizabeth1]

I have some in stock for my child well a specially made up by the doctor one as he is allergic to calpol and swells up like a balloon if given it. Does the same to boots own brand. So although i have it i wont give it to mindies as i dont want a reaction to medicine happen while with me. I will give the stuff provided by their parents though just never anything from my cupboard.

[Mouse]

Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas.

I can see I'm not alone in having no infant medicines in the house, so will continue as I am.

As I said earlier, in all the years I have been childminding I have never had any occasion when I would have needed medication for a child and regretted not having it. Parents know I don't keep anything in, so will supply it themselves if they think their child might need it.

I don't have a thermometer either, so it's good to know I'm not the only one!

[FussyElmo]

No I don't keep medicine in just in case.

My children are younger but can have the 6+ calpol so I have no need to keep a normal bottle in.

Don't have a thermometer either

[Simona]

Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas.

I can see I'm not alone in having no infant medicines in the house, so will continue as I am.

As I said earlier, in all the years I have been childminding I have never had any occasion when I would have needed medication for a child and regretted not having it. Parents know I don't keep anything in, so will supply it themselves if they think their child might need it.

I don't have a thermometer either, so it's good to know I'm not the only one!

Thank you for raising this important issue Mouse

I would imagine we all agree we do not buy our own medicine and keep medicine 'in stock' and then administer to any child...we only administer those that were given to us by parents when the need arises for their child.

That is the problem with the current EYFS...it is too open to interpretation and some requirements should be clearer
EYFS says we MUST have and implement a medicine policy which means we can give medicine with 'consent'...I think we all agree on that
It also says we MUST promote good health and prevent the spread of infections...medicine often do exactly that.

Section 3.46 I would say is very unclear in the last 2 lines in particular.

We also know that young children's systems cannot control temperature fluctuations ...it goes up and down for no reason.
Keeping an eye on temperature can, at times, give us clues of what may be happening in certain circumstances...meningitis is one case where temperature can rise even before any rash appears.

I do have a thermometer and I also ask parents to tell me what they think their child normal temperature is...that is recorded in their file and if there is a sudden rise I am alerted to something not being quite right....a thermometer in that instance would help to monitor the rise in fever.