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Giving Tylenol Without Mother's Permission
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Tova




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:25 pm
What would be your reaction if a babysitter gave a baby tylenol "because she was very cranky and is probrably teething" without the mother's permission? How would you handle it?

NOTE - babysitter has mother's phone number and did not try to call.
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amother


 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:30 pm
I would be very upset and find a different babysitter!
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chaylizi




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:30 pm
Next babysitter.
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Tehilla




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:33 pm
amother wrote:
I would be very upset and find a different babysitter!


Yup, could be very dangerous chas v'shalom.
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BinahYeteirah




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:35 pm
I would also be very upset. It would depend on all the circumstances how I would respond. I would at least have a serious talk with the babysitter, telling her that she is never to give any type of medication without my permission. Also, if my child is sick/miserable enough that medication is appropriate, I would expect a call to let me know, even if it is probably only teething. If I had any other doubts about the babysitter, I might look for another one, too. Communication with the parents is very important.
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Flowerpot




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:46 pm
I wouldn't send away the sitter but like bina said would have a talk with her.
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Atali




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 5:50 pm
It wouldn't really bother me, but I would probably ask her to call me next time before doing so.
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Tova




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:19 pm
Yeah, I'm leaning more like Atali. Not that bothered that it happened, but would want to mention that next time she should call me.

[Truthfully, I'm not 100% sure she was telling me that she gave the Tylenol...she could have been saying that I should give her Tylenol when we get home, but I think it was the former. I am having a bit of a language barrier with her as she is not American. So I may just say - next time she seems cranky/ fussy or you think she needs any medication please call me. That would cover all bases.]
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Tehilla




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:25 pm
I'll explain in more detail why it bothered me. How does she know what dosage, did you tell her in the past? What if you had given her Motrin or Tylenol and forgotten to tell her?

I'd also be nervous about what other things she did/does/would do without thinking it was important to ask about.

But then again, I've also seen some pretty scary and stupid things so maybe that's what makes me more strict about such a thing.
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chaylizi




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:28 pm
Tylenol builds up in the liver, it is hepatotoxic. No one should ever give anyone a medication without finding out whether the child had been given any. In fact, the dose the babysitter could have taken my baby over the daily limit. Someone who is so irresponsible will not be watching my kids. I won't hurt her feelings, but I wouldn't call her again either.
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Tehilla




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:30 pm
chaylizi wrote:
Tylenol builds up in the liver, it is hepatotoxic. No one should ever give anyone a medication without finding out whether the child had been given any. In fact, the dose the babysitter could have taken my baby over the daily limit. Someone who is so irresponsible will not be watching my kids. I won't hurt her feelings, but I wouldn't call her again either.


Yeah that's what I wanted to say, but so much clearer.
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Tova




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:52 pm
I hear...maybe I will ask her more straight out tomorrow in order to clarify.

[My daughter is nearly 13 months and I don't think has ever had Tylenol or Motrin or any kind of anti-biotic before. b"H, no sick visits with this one although my son had several ear infections in his first year. In fact, after I took her home and put her down for a nap she woke up in such a good happy mood and I don't see any signs of crankiness, although I don't doubt that she was when she was at the sitter. I am not really worried about any over-dosing, but I do understand the concern.]
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chaylizi




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 8:09 pm
I don't think you understand that there is a huge difference between tylenol & motrin. My daughter drank a whole bottle of motrin once & poison control told me to give her milk because of stomach upset. They also added, you're really lucky it's not tylenol or she would be in the hospital now.
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Atali




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 8:46 pm
But the babysitter didn't give her the whole bottle of tylenol, just one dose.

Tehilla, I would assume that the babysitter is perfectly capable of reading the label on the back that says how much to give. Also, unless the babysitter gave it first thing in the morning, it would have been a number of hours since any prior dose.

I really don't see the big deal here.
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Tehilla




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 8:52 pm
I'm sure she could read the label, but did she also weigh the child? One of mine was quite on the lower end of the weight percentiles, and had a lower dose than age for awhile.

And again, what if the mother happened to have given Tylenol or Motrin before running out and forgot to mention it? B"H obviously, that's not what happened...
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chaylizi




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 8:54 pm
There is no big deal. But no one administers medication to my child unless I tell them to. Most babysitters are teenagers & I simply won't have someone who is too irresponsible to call & check with me watching them.
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Atali




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 9:11 pm
Tehilla wrote:
I'm sure she could read the label, but did she also weigh the child? One of mine was quite on the lower end of the weight percentiles, and had a lower dose than age for awhile.

And again, what if the mother happened to have given Tylenol or Motrin before running out and forgot to mention it? B"H obviously, that's not what happened...


Even if it were, to the best of my knowledge although one should never intentionally give more than the correct dose, the doses are made low enough so that if someone makes a mistake and accidentally gives one extra dose no serious harm would occur.

I would also think that most people could guess the approximate weight of a child since the doses are also listed according to age and if a child is unusually small you could figure it out.

I'm not saying that I agree with what she did. I just don't think it is so terrible.
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Tehilla




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 9:19 pm
I don't think it's the worst thing either. I do think that medication is serious enough though, that I would majorly question having her watch my children again--especially because she DID have the mother's number and it would have taken 1 minute to call and double check things.
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flowerpower




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 9:21 pm
It's not the worst thing but I hope the mother tells her to ask permission before giving the child anything.
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amother


 

Post Tue, Dec 08 2009, 10:05 pm
first of all I wouldn't trust this babysitter again .who knows how much she really gave ?second the op said she doesn't understand english?how can she read? I would be very upset if anyone gives my children anything.with out asking me.
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