Medication Woes

Bells has her first fever. When I picked her up from her nap yesterday, she felt like she was on fire. Poor thing had a temperature of 101.7. As I cuddled her, I remembered that I had just finally gotten around to filling out the form online to get a refund from the Tylenol/Motrin/Zyrtec recall and had thrown everything away. JUST! Like as in hours before. I was so annoyed!!!!

So, being lazy, and not wanting to venture out with five kids, one being a sick infant, I called a friend who I hoped would be out. She was! She was able to bring me some infant drops. On the box, it gave the dosage for six months and up. Bells is 5 months. I cut the dosage in half, hoping to get her some relief. She didn't like the taste of that stuff at all, but it did bring her fever down for the night.

This morning, she was moaning in her sleep. Such a sad, sweet sound. With every little breath, a teeny tiny moan came out. Her temperature was back up to 101.9. I gave her more of the medicine, this time remembering that you're not supposed to give Ibuprofen to a child until 6 months. Don't know why I forgot that until then. I was heading to the store anyway, I put Tylenol on my list.

When I got to the children's pain medication aisle in the store, I found myself at my wit's end. Because of the recall, there was NO Tylenol whatsoever. Wonderful. I found the store brand (there was only a few of them) and bought that... it said right on it... INFANT DROPS!!!

When I got home, I went to give it to Bells and what does it say on the back... Dosage information for 2 and up! I flip it around a few times and sure enough on the front it says 2-3 years old. Now, who calls their 2-3 year old an INFANT???!!!! A toddler maybe, a child for sure, but NOT an infant!! The box said to call the doctor for a child under the age of two.

What did I do? Cut the dosage in 1/4 and gave her that. I don't understand. I know a few years ago they took all the cold medications off the market for young children, are they doing the same thing with fever and pain meds? This is ridiculous! I don't usually give them fever reducing medicine unless their temperatures hit over 101 or they are uncomfortable. So, it's not like I'm overusing it. I just want to have SOMETHING to use when I need to!!

Somebody needs to tell these people that a 2-3 year old is NOT an infant and they should relabel their products.

Or maybe I should just read the box better.