Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Haven't you heard that if you ever have difficulty with a child proof
    lid, just *give* it to a child, they'll have it opened in no time!!
    
    Seriously, you did the right thing, and try not to be overcome with
    guilt.  I can't remember how old your child was, but if there were a
    problem either ipecac or activated charcoal would have been given. 
    Both of these things are good things to keep in the med cabinet
    "just-in-case".
    
    Most antibiotics will cause Loose stools in a theraputic dose, so it's
    quite reasonable to expect it when a megadose has been given.  If
    there's going to ever be an allergic reaction, this will be the test!
    Just as a note of reassurance, antibiotic doses vary far and wide, and
    a prime example would be if you child were very sick, and hospitalized
    the doctors would be giving massive IV antibiotics to get the infection
    under control, these are not generally toxic.
    
    Kids....you've got to love 'em!
    Lyn

    
    On the hyperactivity issue, I have noticed this in my son whenever
    he takes drugs with red dye in them.  I know it sounds crazy but
    his pedi confirmed that this can happen sometimes...
    cj/

   Kind of like Foolproof Software. Never Underestimate the quality of fools
   available...
   
   q
   

    	Just sort of from the biological point of view, you may want to
    give your child yogurt with live cultures in it to "re-populate" his
    intestines with acidolpholus (the good bacteria). Whenever you are on
    antibiotics it is a good idea to eat yogurt to make sure that an
    internal balance is kept and that the drugs do not kill off all or too
    much of the good bacteria. Having a strong (un)healthy dose of
    antibiotics like your child took might have done a job in wiping out
    what was there. 

    Although having a low bacteria count in the gut is not life
    threatening, it *can* lead to intestinal discomfort, gas, and in some
    cases yeast infections. (I'm sure you heard about douching with yogurt
    to alleviate vaginal yeast infections).


    			Wendy
                                           

    As a quick side note, when AJ has been on theraputic antibiotics (say
    that 3 times fast!) the pedi will usually give me a prescription for
    mystatin powder for the diaper area.  Usually between day 3 to 5 his,
    already sensitive, diaper area will be raw with a nasty yeast rash. 
    Might consider asking you pedi to call in for some of this, just
    incase. (I apply this *with* the corn starch baby powder.)
    
    Lyn
    

     Yellow food dyes can also cause hyperactivity -- Yellow #5 will
    still send my oldest bouncing off the walls, and she's 17 now.
    
    --bonnie

    Thanks for all the replies.  The amoxicillin was the pretty pink
    color so I assume it did contain red dye which may explain the hyper-
    activity.  It was also bubble gum flavored which explains him drinking
    it all--probably also contained lots of sweetener which may also
    explain the hyperness.  He was already eating yogurt--I make it
    a habit for myself and him to eat yogurt anytime we are on antibiotics
    because we both have had problems with yeast in the past.  The poison
    control center also suggested lots of fluids to flush the antiobiotic
    through the system faster since it is water soluble.
    
    About the mega doses of antibiotics--I had never thought of that
    and I should have--not even six months ago I was in the hospital
    for 5 days for intensive antiobiotic therapy due to a stubborn parotid
    gland infection.  I was given 3 types of antiobiotics continuosly
    for 5 days and the worst that happened to me even with those mega
    doses was an intestinal infection since all the good AND bad bacteria
    were killed.  Hmmm....makes sense...
    
    It still doesn't excuse the fact that my son took medicine he shouldn't
    have but I learned from it for sure...
    
    pam
    

Pam, you're a great mom.  You did all the right things.

I can't help but smile since this was such a "little" thing, and has turned
out so well.  I remember all the panicking I did the times that Evan fell
down the stairs or the times that he really banged his forehead (*huge*,
nasty bruises!).  I figured...concussion, coma, god-only-knows-what.
He has survived everything (almost 3 years old now...), and I don't quite panic
like I used to.  :-)
    
<    It still doesn't excuse the fact that my son took medicine he shouldn't
<    have but I learned from it for sure...
    
Eh, he's only 20 months old.  He's got a long way to go before you can trust
him with things like that.  Don't sweat it, and just keep the stuff away
from him.

Hmmm...I think I'll move the cough syrup and Panadol up a little higher in
our house.  Thanks for the reminder to all of us!

      Carol 

    Glad to hear that your son is okay.  I know what a scarey feeling that
    can be - like the time Jason walked into the kitchen with a half empty
    ant trap (he *ATE* the rest!).  There's nothing like that feeling of "I
    have poisoned my child!"  even though you REALLY didn't have much to do
    with it.  Did you know that ant traps are something like 98% peanut
    butter?!  They said even if he ate the whole thing, the worst that
    might happen is he might feel a little queasy. 
    
    BTW - I think that poison control normally calls back - at least they
    did the 2 times that I've called them.  THAT is one number that's
    engraved on my fridge!!
    
    Good Luck!!
    Patty

    I did forget to mention that according to my pharmacist, the liquid
    medicines are NOT sugar sweetened, but rather with an "artificial"
    sweetner of some type.  If they're using Nutrasweet it could explain
    the hyperactivity.  Many children, my own included, will have
    hyperactivty bouts triggered by nutrasweet.  In our case it took only one
    packet in his cereal to trigger sleepless days and night and aggressive
    behavior.
    
    I asked my pharmacist about the sweetening agent a couple years ago
    when AJ was getting multiple liquid medicines, over a long period of
    time.  I too was concerned about sugar intake, cavities etc.  And of
    course can't forget all those lovely food colorings too!
    
    This came to mind this morning, since AJ has been on Erythro-something
    since Saturday, and has been up at least once per night and up *very*
    early (like 5am) each morning since Saturday.  Not sure what's worse,
    the strep throat or the cure!!
    
    Lyn