Vicks vapour rub

[weazel]

Hi,

My DD, 15 months, has a cold that started last night and I went to get her some vicks vapour rub for her congestion, and it says not to use on under 2 year olds.

Has anyone used it or any other suggestions? I have a vapouriser in her room with eucalyptus oil in it.

We are going to the chemist this afternoon so will check with them.

Thanks,

Di

[MsMummy]

I have used it in my son before 2. You just have to be careful they don't Get it in their eyes after touching it.

Maybe they make a kids one, now that I think about it.

[MothersMilk]

I'm pretty sure there is a baby/kids version

[Janesmum123]

There is a baby version I bought it a few weeks ago when bubs was sick.

It's not as strong, smells much nicer and doesn't have that really "hot" feel to it.

[MarchMumma]

The baby version is called Baby Balsam, it looks like a Vicks tub, but it has a pink lid. It is milder and maybe has a bit of lavender in it? Smells great!

[Annabella]

Euky bearub. Put on soles of feet, not sure why this works but it does! Way better than the baby vicks.

[Mrs Awesome]

I don't usually put the vics right on my DS's skin. I put a blob of it in a folded up tissue and put this between his singlet and growsuit at night (in his chest area). I also put mor ein another tissue and put it under his cot fitted sheet near the head of his bed. This was he gets the vapours from it but it's not touching him iykwim.

Now he is a little older, I will sometimes put a teeny tiny dot of it on the soles of his feet before I put some socks on or a growsuit on.

[MummaFug]

I bought a jar of the Baby Vicks for DD but when that ran out - just used the regular Vicks.
Where I live it gets REALLY cold during winter so I actually put it on DS & DD's feet everynight after their bath then cover with socks.
They very rarely get coughs or sniffles.

[Thee]

The baby version is Baby Balsam.

I am sure you are very careful but just so you know...the 2nd highest poison at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne is eucalyptus oil. I've forgotten the percentage but apparently there has been a hige jump in eucalyptus oil poisoning because people are using it more as it is "natural". We had someone from Kidsafe come and speak to my mother's group and tell us this. She said that you should not really use Vicks, eucalyptus oil, etc., just saline drops for their nose. She also said that those vaporisers really don't need anything in them - prevention is better then cure and all that. Please don't take this comment the wrong way but this was something i didn't really know and thought maybe others might not either.

Hope your DD is better soon :)

[Annabella]

Far out what do people do that causes the kid to be poisoned? That's a bit scary. What's the highest poison?

[Thee]

Panadol! Its a case of people not reading dosages correctly eg. read 0.4ml as 4.0ml, mum giving a dose and then dad giving a dose as well, giving too many doses within 24hrs, giving it to bubs when they are a bit grizzly and don't actually need it, giving it to bubs just in case they have a reaction to needles etc. Apparently because people don't consider it a poison, a lot of people are very lax about it.

I can't remember exactly what she said about eucalyptus oil poisoning but she did say it could burn their nostrils and their throat if swallowed.

[JabberJaw]

I always use tixylix chest rub. It has a nice smell and is safe for little ones skin.

I use vicks on their feet also, and cover with socks :D

[DeeLee]

Panadol! Its a case of people not reading dosages correctly eg. read 0.4ml as 4.0ml, mum giving a dose and then dad giving a dose as well, giving too many doses within 24hrs, giving it to bubs when they are a bit grizzly and don't actually need it, giving it to bubs just in case they have a reaction to needles etc. Apparently because people don't consider it a poison, a lot of people are very lax about it.

I can't remember exactly what she said about eucalyptus oil poisoning but she did say it could burn their nostrils and their throat if swallowed.

Doesnt surprise me. Did you know that if you od on panadol it is more deadly than oding on herion! And this is a drug you can just buy over the counter.

[Misschief]

I use a Vicks vaporizer with DS in winter. In summer I just use saline drops in his nose and put some Euky Bear rub on the soles of his feet and on his chest.

[iLOVEthree]

Euky bearub. Put on soles of feet, not sure why this works but it does! Way better than the baby vicks.

Scientific evidence suggest it stops baby/child from coughing!

[weazel]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Just come back from the hospital with DD. She had a fever so thought it best to get her checked out. Chest is all clear, throat is a bit red and a sniffly nose. Bit of a virus. She is tucked up in bed sound asleep now. Hopefully she will have a better nights sleep tonight.

Thanks for the warning about eucalyptus oil. I only put a drop or two in her vapouriser and put it straight back in the cupboard. I think Panadol is so overused in babies. Should be prescription to prevent this maybe??

Di

[iLOVEthree]

I so agree that panadol is so overly used! We only use it if the kids have a fever and sometimes they get over it without having to use panadol!

Hope your DD gets better soon! xx

[weazel]

Thank you. She is very rarely unwell and she is so unhappy. Poor little bubba doesn't like feeling unwell, no-one does. She just doesn't understand what is going on. Hope she feels better tomorrow.
Di