meds/ teething

[jashol]

Parent wants to send child who teething and on calpol for teething too me and very upset mum says I understand parent needs to work

[Vikki5531]

Parent wants to send child who teething and on calpol for teething too me and very upset mum says I understand parent needs to work

I've got a mindee who's teething really badly and it's such hard work! Good luck xx

[jashol]

I dont mind having lo when teething but are you all happy to administer calpol ect for teething

[Vikki5531]

I dont mind having lo when teething but are you all happy to administer calpol ect for teething

Personally I would be happy to. Mum bought medication to me but it was in his Sisters name so I wouldn't administer it! X

[QualityCare]

If mum is on a low income Dr will prescribe calpol but some will not give a 2nd one for sibling saying they have already given a prescription for it, if you are worried take it to pharmacist who can confirm its ordinary calpol (if not in over the counter bottle) or ring nurse at the surgery it was prescribed from. I have been in this situation and it was ok to give to sibling, this mum had a large bottle of it. I will always give medication for teething.

[tess1981]

Ah teething... The joys of childminding... cranky child and bad nappies... calpol can be a life line lol

[bunyip]

EYFS allows us to administer 'over the counter' medications so long as they have been "prescribed" for that particular purpose.

Ofsted have redefined the word "prescribed" to include not only a medicine issued under a doctor's prescription, but also all medicines "recommended" by a competent member of the medical profession (here using the P-word in it's old sense, as in when it meant anything at all.)

The best way to do this is to get mum to get the infant paracetamol formula supplied under a doctor's prescription. Failing that, she should buy it from a pharmacist who is prepared to label the bottle with the pharmacy name and address, the child's name and the condition for which s/he is recommending it. Get a 'permission to administer medication' completed and signed by mum. This will then stand for all future administration of this medicine for this specific purpose. You must keep a copy of the permission and a signed record (with copy to mum) of dosages and times given.

Remember, you should still exclude according to your policies if you feel the child should be at home due to symptoms or distress, or is unable to participate in usual routine/activities. Don't let the child ruin all the other children's experience with you: they have rights too, and their parents have paid for the full service - not for you to muddle through for th sake of just one mum. You must still exclude for 48 hours for diarrhea: no matter what the cause.

I understand parents must work. What a lot of parents don't seem to understand is that we too must work, and must work to very clear and high standards, regulations, and laws. We are directly responsible to all our clients (not just one) as well as to Ofsted, Environmental Health, our LSCB, and the law. Parents are able to ask their employers for time off to be with sick children, or to take annual leave for that purpose. Sadly, they all too often see their CM as a 'softer touch' than their boss, and see their annual leave as a right to a foreign holiday. We CMs have no such rights and no employer to turn to. We should all avoid becoming a doormat for mums who would rather wipe their feet on us than make a legitimate approach to their boss, or who'd sooner preserve their fortnight in Ibiza than take time off with a sick lo.

[tess1981]

EYFS allows us to administer 'over the counter' medications so long as they have been "prescribed" for that particular purpose.

Ofsted have redefined the word "prescribed" to include not only a medicine issued under a doctor's prescription, but also all medicines "recommended" by a competent member of the medical profession (here using the P-word in it's old sense, as in when it meant anything at all.)

The best way to do this is to get mum to get the infant paracetamol formula supplied under a doctor's prescription. Failing that, she should buy it from a pharmacist who is prepared to label the bottle with the pharmacy name and address, the child's name and the condition for which s/he is recommending it. Get a 'permission to administer medication' completed and signed by mum. This will then stand for all future administration of this medicine for this specific purpose. You must keep a copy of the permission and a signed record (with copy to mum) of dosages and times given.

Remember, you should still exclude according to your policies if you feel the child should be at home due to symptoms or distress, or is unable to participate in usual routine/activities. Don't let the child ruin all the other children's experience with you: they have rights too, and their parents have paid for the full service - not for you to muddle through for th sake of just one mum. You must still exclude for 48 hours for diarrhea: no matter what the cause.

I understand parents must work. What a lot of parents don't seem to understand is that we too must work, and must work to very clear and high standards, regulations, and laws. We are directly responsible to all our clients (not just one) as well as to Ofsted, Environmental Health, our LSCB, and the law. Parents are able to ask their employers for time off to be with sick children, or to take annual leave for that purpose. Sadly, they all too often see their CM as a 'softer touch' than their boss, and see their annual leave as a right to a foreign holiday. We CMs have no such rights and no employer to turn to. We should all avoid becoming a doormat for mums who would rather wipe their feet on us than make a legitimate approach to their boss, or who'd sooner preserve their fortnight in Ibiza than take time off with a sick lo.

Surly you can not tell a mum to keep her child at home because the child is teething. If my cm had of done that I would be complaining. I have never turned a child away because of this no matter how cranky they were. Sometimes we have to change plans to suit teething children. This is our job and we have to take these kind of days in our stride and hope the next day is better

[bunyip]

Surly you can not tell a mum to keep her child at home because the child is teething. If my cm had of done that I would be complaining. I have never turned a child away because of this no matter how cranky they were. Sometimes we have to change plans to suit teething children. This is our job and we have to take these kind of days in our stride and hope the next day is better

I'd have (have had) plenty of cranky children, teething or otherwise. I agree: in 99% of cases, a teething lo would be no happier or better off with mum. In that 1% of cases where they would, we have a duty to point that out.

I wouldn't tell mum to keep them home because they are teething, per se. But the diarrhea issue is a very real one. If it results in a food-related incident, EHO and any possible victim will not take any excuses about a teething child. Diarrhea is diarrhea is diarrhea. The cause is immaterial. Read the guidelines and tell me where it says, "ok, just ignore this if the child is teething." I'm not talking about "cranky" - I'm talking about a genuine health risk which, in extremis, could result in fatalities.

If a teething child is going to spoil the day for the other lo's, then we must remember our responsibility to all the children/clients. It wouldn't hurt just to tell parents at the visit/interview stage that "I also have babies who can disrupt the routine and mean we don't always get all the fun/activities/learning done that we'd like to." I hope all CMs do this - but I'd be surprised if all do. Such is the pressure to "be positive" and "oversell" ourselves.

Yes, you're right: it is our job. But it is also our job to be honest with parents and with managing expectations within the limits of what we can deliver. It is our job to consider the whole group from the point at which we consider enquiries and manage admissions in a way that works. Sometimes, that might even mean saying we cannot take on a particular child or baby cos of the effect it will have on the whole setting. I've had to do just that on more than one occasion. Sadly, it's all too often the case that CMs simply take whatever business is on offer.

I have 3 new U-1's starting in September (different days). They will all be1yo by the end of October, so I could (regs-wise) have 2-3 of them together after half term, and 2 mums have mentioned this with a view to increasing their hours at work. But I've said to them that I will not simply cram the place to the maximum of what the regs allow. I know my limitations and understand the possible effect on the group as a whole, so I've made no promises in this matter and will cautiously consider any request if/when it comes.