"I'm not going to take Paracetamol" stated one alpha male to the Fuddled Medic as the last outbreak of swine flu takes place. "I dont believe in take tablets for simple things like colds, etc."
Ok, your an adult, its your decision. If you want to spend 3-7 days with a cold/flu with a raging headache and fever thats fine, I'd rather spend 3-7 days when I havea cold/flu with a reduced hedache/fever and general feeling of shittiness.
Unfortunately children who suffere colds/fevers etc are not adults and have to rely on mum and dad to dish out calpol. Colleages have shocked me with tales of parents bringing in kids to Children A & E who refuse to administer Calpol.
Why? Its safe and effective and despite evidence to the contrary it probably doesn't raise the asthma/eczema risk. Buying ice scream is linked to increase risk of drowning, doesn't mean one causes the other.
I am starting paediatrics after christmas, there will probably be an increase in posts where I feel sorry for poorly kids whose parents seem to think immunisations are tantamount to murder, or that steroid inhalers are a bad things
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I would've loved to have done paeds but couldn't have coped with the psychotic parents.
ReplyDeleteThen I became a parent myself and gained some insight into the irrational fears that mount sometimes in one's gut, despite my years of medical education (including a stint as a paeds SHO). Funny things instincts!
These days, as a GP, I spend a lot of my time trying to quell such instincts in other parents, but at least I can understand where they are coming from so don't loathe doing so quite so much :-P
I have never loathed any parents, should a feeling of sympathy for the sick child whose been denied medication.
ReplyDeleteI just get the feeling that some children never really stand a chance.
With regards to the Calpol situation, parents then act surprised when all there kid receives is Calpol
Some parents of my acquaintance seem proud of how little relief they provide their children with when they are ill - toddlers with stinking colds "such a little trooper, she's been ill for a week and she's only had Olbas oil". I feel so sorry for them. My kids get paracetamol whenever they need it - I offer it if they seem off and they say yes or no!
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