Panadol/Nurofen at Childcare

[starangelk]

DD's childcare centre have a policy that says that the panadol has to have a label on it with their name on it.........they said the label has to be done by the GP. Is this right or can I just ask the chemist to do it? I sound scabby but I don't really want to go back to the GP and spend $40 (they don't bulk bill!) just to get a label with her name on a bottle of panadol. Anyone else come across this?

[Arimeh]

Yup. All the daycares that I have sent the kids to were happy with it being a chemist label - cos thats where you get it from anyway

[Netix]

Hmm, no sorry. Not encountered that one! I just send medication to cc in a zip-lock bag, with my child's name written on it, in big writing. Except for today. The demazin didn't even make it into a bag! Oops. And I have never been told that it needed to be labelled otherwise. They just follow the guidelines on the bottle, unless there is a GP label over it stating different.

I think its a bit preposterous to expect that an over the counter medication be labelled by a GP.

[Kazbah]

Weird, we don't have to label anything panadol! However, they will only give *one* dose / day of panadol etc, so it's getting a dose in just before dropping them off and then one when picking them up.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Im sure they may mean by a chemist, but you will need to check with them.
As far as whether or not it is right: the centre has a right to set whatever policies they wish as long as they stick the the recognised act and regulations for the state.

FWIW DS's centre don't administer panadol at all unless the temperature reaches 38 degrees at which point you are required to collect within one hour, or unless accompanied by a letter from a doctor stating continuing administration is necessary.
All medication must be labelled by a pharmacist and the label must be renewed every 28 days to ensure that it is still okay to use.
They don't even take chances with nappy creams: they require a label and proper instructions for application.

What seems like common sense to you has probably created many lawsuits - so when you think it is silly you need to understand that someone else has taken a business owner to court for something that stupid.

[*TripleJ*]

i just had to label it with DS's name and instructions on how i want it given

[starangelk]

Thanks for all the responses I am happy to get it labelled and happier now that I read it can probably be done by the chemist. To get around it today I gave her some before I dropped her off and then rang at midday and asked if she had a temp thinking I would go and give her some but she was fine

[Floweryfields]

Hmm, no sorry. Not encountered that one! I just send medication to cc in a zip-lock bag, with my child's name written on it, in big writing. Except for today. The demazin didn't even make it into a bag! Oops. And I have never been told that it needed to be labelled otherwise. They just follow the guidelines on the bottle, unless there is a GP label over it stating different.

I think its a bit preposterous to expect that an over the counter medication be labelled by a GP.

That's very suprising to hear - they are actually in breech of the Childcare Act and Regulations regarding the administration of medications - I don't know of any childcare centre who would give any medication (except perhaps panadol) to a child without a chemist label. There are a number of reasons for this - mainly because it is not safe to give anything to a child without knowing it should be given to them. Do you sign a permission form at least? The issue is that if the medication doesn't have your child's name on it, it may not actually be for your child and that could be very dangerous. Also medications can interact with each other, and already contain ingredients in another being given - ie x medicine may contain paraceatamol, and so may y, thus overdosing the child.


Stangelk - to answer your question - a label from the pharmacy should be fine. make sure it has your child's name and the required dosage on it.

[starangelk]

Great thanks! I am off to the chemist to buy a "daycare" bottle of nurofen and ask them to label it with DD's name. I guess they probably get asked all the time.

[Floweryfields]

Weird, we don't have to label anything panadol! However, they will only give *one* dose / day of panadol etc, so it's getting a dose in just before dropping them off and then one when picking them up.

We don't require panadol to be labelled either because our parents give the one dose permission on the initial enrolment form as is probably your case.

[Netix]

Ausgirl, yes, sorry, probably should have mentioned that I do have to fill in a form regarding the administration of medication. It needs medication name, expiry date, last dosage given, amount given at last dose, next dosage(s) due, how much for next dosage(s), what it's for, and some other things too (that's just from memory from this morning, I forgot to sign the form tonight, unless the Man did it when he signed the book). And you have to sign each line of upcoming dose(s) to say that you give permission for them to administer the medication. I did encounter a problem once though, that the script label was incorrect (in terms that the dosage stated was less than what the Dr actually said), which was a pain, as the daycare could only administer what was on the script. Oh well, rules are rules. At least Rhino got some antibiotics into him, which was better than none.

[luna moth]

That's very suprising to hear - they are actually in breech of the Childcare Act and Regulations regarding the administration of medications - I don't know of any childcare centre who would give any medication (except perhaps panadol) to a child without a chemist label. There are a number of reasons for this - mainly because it is not safe to give anything to a child without knowing it should be given to them. Do you sign a permission form at least? The issue is that if the medication doesn't have your child's name on it, it may not actually be for your child and that could be very dangerous. Also medications can interact with each other, and already contain ingredients in another being given - ie x medicine may contain paraceatamol, and so may y, thus overdosing the child.

Different states have different regulations! I have worked across three states. Yes, up here the regs say they have to be labelled, but in Victoria there is nothing about that in their regs so it is up to the individual centre.

Also, the initial one-off permission is only to state that the child is physically able to have paracetamol - no moral objections, allergies etc. The centre still has to contact parents and have a signature for every single time they administer paracetamol. If not, they don't know if the child has already had some that day, if they're on some other contraindicated medication, or if there isn't some other reason the child can't have it. The parent might sign that form in January, but by May there may be a change to conditions.

[Floweryfields]

Deleted comment due to mod editing post - thank you.