In the 18th and 19th centuries, mothers rubbed paregoric – a waxy tincture containing opium – into their babies’ gums to soothe teething pain. It was acceptable to give your baby a spoonful of codeine, opium, and heroin—known as soothing syrup. This stuff was openly advertised as a cure which would calm your baby, while providing rest for weary mothers. Despite the truth eventually being revealed to consumers, the product still managed to be available to all until the 1930s. As late as the mid-20th century, it was common to do the same with whisky or brandy, and “gripe water” containing alcohol, sugar, dill extract and baking soda was given routinely for colic. Every country did it. In the 1950s Gould’s gripe water was advertised with strapline “No more fuss from baby”.
No-one likes to be in pain, no-one likes to be sick, especially when you see your baby with watery eyes, in pain or high temperature, it breaks our hearts. We want to take it away and medicine over the counter is the way forward. But is it?
Calpol is probably first medicine babies will try after the milk, its calpol that is given to them at first injections. I remember our nurse at our GP specifically telling us to go and get calpol after my child’s first injections. So if medical staff tells you something, you do it. You trust them that they know best what they are doing. Did you know that Calpol has 2.2g of sucrose per 5ml, which is more than four times as much sugar as there is in an equivalent amount of Coca-Cola. No wonder children get excited about getting a shot of that.
More than five tonnes of Calpol is sold every day, where other brands cost half the price. Why is it we are so addicted to medicine, pharmaceuticals? Its it because we are scared for our babies to get ill? Is it because we have to go to work and we cannot afford a day off to take care of ourselves or our kids? Is it because its just too easy?
Did you know our immune system gets stronger with each time we get a cold/flu. If you are healthy adult or a child, its ok to get sick from time to time. Our immune system learns from it and remembers how to fight it off next time you get sick.
I watched a program about how much medicine we consume unnecessarily. Its shocking. It got me thinking, proper thinking about pills intake. I have asked my friends, and yeap, their cupboards are filled with all sort of medicines but mostly calpol, calpol for babies, calopl for over six, over 12. Calpol for teething, pain, distress, for ‘’I don’t know why my baby is crying’’.
Have we forgot that our bodies are capable to fight most mild infections on its own, with a little help from liquids and plenty of rest we should return to normal. At first sign of cold we panic and reach for drugs. Why do we get sick? Well its obvious, our bodies are rundown, we do not sleep enough, we don’t get rest, forever stressed, day is not long enough and we just simply cannot recover. When? Who will take the kids to school? Who will cook, who will do my job? I cannot afford getting sick now. Pill in, sorted. But do we actually know what we are taking? Do you actually know what drugs do to us? Who cares it works.
Paracetamol is the most common medicine in paediatrics, no one really is sure how it works. We know it inhibits an enzyme involved in producing prostaglandins, making the body less aware of pain, but the mechanism by which it acts on the brain to reduce fever is less understood. Paracetamol was discovered by accident at the University of Strasburg in the 1880s. Professor Adolf Kussmaul was experimenting with naphthalene, the main ingredient of mothballs, as a cure for worms, his patients were accidentally given acetanilide instead, and while it wasn’t much good for worms, it dramatically lowered fever. Back in the day acetanilide was cheap but it also deactivated some of the haemoglobin in red blood cells, with potentially lethal results. Paracetamol, a derivate of acetanilide, has been used in clinical trials in 1893 but because of fear over its possible danger it only started being used widely in 1940, after series of studies.
Calpol could not come to our lives in better time 1959, in this year our best friend aspirin was having a bad year, its been linked to gastro-intestinal bleeding, where calpol was safe and was branded as a solution to any baby care problems. It was lovely in taste, which meant that kids would not spit it out. WINNER! Calpol had it all. We stopped liking sugar, the sugar free calpol was launched, then colour free, funky colour, works for every worry… Amazing Calpol Night was created to put our children to sleep within minutes, this one was created in 2007 but just two years later it was announced that it should no longer be given to children under six because of its side effects like disturbed sleep and hallucinations.
Its it dangerous? Like every drug – of course it is, there is a danger of overdose which is scary and can kill, taking too much too often will also harm our liver (it can be really toxic) but that’s like with everything else we take too much off. But it does works and when we need that extra help its here for us. When we are in pain, sick- we don’t care, we just want to reach for something that works. On its own Paracetamol – caused 218 deaths in 2017.
I don’t have Calpol in my house, I got rid of it many years ago after I read articles about it being linked to asthma and ADHD. But I do have a bottle of paracetamol at home, just different brand and if I ever get sick and cannot cope, of course I will take drugs to help me or my kids out.
So how to recognise when our child is sick, sick and when use drugs? I would like to say, you know best but sometimes we just don’t have the time. When my kids get that sick feeling: shivers, muscle and body aches, for me that’s the sign of a mild flu. I don’t wait, first thing I do is: make onion juice, then chicken soup with pasta. Movies on. Early night it’s a must. Usually they are fine by morning. Of course I am exhausted watching over them. If the temperature is back by morning, sick one stays at home with me or my partner. Remember recovery it’s a must. Even if it’s a one day cold, make sure you get plenty of rest and don’t forget to drink. They are obviously vulnerable and this is why they are sick in the first place.
You know that your kids can feel when you panicking, so please stay calm. If there is anything that you are worried about just call your GP or call 111. If you have any questions or if you are worried please do not wait. Do not waste your time to ask your partner or neighbour. For your own good, be assured by professional, call them. It’s the best way.
For babies with temperature – best thing is skin on skin. YOU parents are amazing, and with your bodies you can regulate your babies’ temperature as well. Have done it many times with both of my babies and it worked. Plus its a comfort for them as well. They feel safe. When they are so little and can just lay on you its best assurance for them. Temperature can last for up to four days, sometimes more, don’t panic, its normal. As long as they are themselves they will be fine. Often I think after few days, hurray its over, night time comes and bosh they have temperature again… who needs sleep right? But you know what, its also good for your body to fight it off on its own. Your body creates high temperature to fight the virus, its actually a normal process. Sweat it all out. Let it do its job, obviously helping it with plenty of liquids and rest.
Next time you reach for drugs, please remember that its very important you understand your medication and what they can do to your body. We trust pharmaceutical companies with our lives but is it really right thing to do? There are a lot of new drugs out there we have no idea what sort of effect they can have on us in future. We are used to trust our governments and pharmaceuticals without questioning it and we already know that some drugs turned out to be dangerous, lethal and highly addictive. Before you get anything prescribed, do your research or simply ask your doctor what are the side effects? What this drug can do to you or your childs body? Don’t be scared to ask. You know most of infections will go away on its own within two weeks. Allow your body to do its own healing, allow it to do what your body do best and rest, rest as much as you can.
Here are simple rules you should know:
- We know now that we should never give ASPIRIN to children. This can increase the risk of serious condition Reye’s syndrome (liver and brain damage). I know its been approved by medical bodies however never ever ever treat chickenpox or flu-like symptoms with aspirin.
- If you take antibiotics make sure you take probiotics to help your gut and your immune system recover quicker – remember it might take up to SIX months for your body to fully recover after the course of antibiotics. In that time you are very vulnerable and can easily get cold or even worst flu, which further weakens your body.
- Painkillers anti-inflammatory – take only for a short period of time, they DO cause stomach ulcers= make your stomach bleed. If you must take them for a long period of time, make sure you take some anti-ulcer mediation with it and ALWAYS eat before you take anti-inflammatory drugs.
- DO NOT MIX painkillers/drugs without reading first about what’s in them! You might be taking the same medication (aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol) without knowing- easy to overdose.
- Even natural stuff like Epsom salt can damage you badly, some people drink it to help with their bowel movement, but too much of it can rip your stomach wall and intestine. If you are taking it make sure you do not drink coffee or herbal teas in the same time.
- Be cautions. LOVE YOUR BODY inside and out!