My sister in law ALWAYS uses infant tylenol on her child, is this safe?

Question

She has been mis-using it since he was a couple months old, now he's one year, and she always resorts to the tylenol. The child sleeps a lot at a time. She uses this as her method to gain constant sleep, since she doesn't have a job. What should I do?

Answer 1

You need to do some research as to the harm this does (maybe webmd, etc). Then speak with your sister calmly about the situation and explain that if "OTHER' people were to notice this they could call child services and she would have to face possibly losing her child. That might be enough to scare her to stop. If not then it is your responsibility to protect that child. You might have to be the one to make the call. Think not only of the damage to the body but also to the potential for learning delays if the child is not stimulated enough and is left to its own to either sleep or play while she is asleep.....

Answer 2

This is not safe and misuse of Tylenol (or any acetaminophen) can cause liver damage. I can't imagine it's the Tylenol making the child sleep though - are you sure she's not using Benadryl, Nyquil, or something else? Are you saying she is purposely drugging the child so the child will sleep?

What should you do? Confront her and the child's father. If the behavior doesn't stop, call their child's doctor or CPS and report them. This baby can't speak for himself - you can! Good Luck!

Answer 3

NO, it's not safe! It's abuse of drugs, being forced upon an innocent. If you know this is going on, you have an obligation to report her... Confront her, first, and tell her if she doesn't stop, you WILL report her... That child can't speak for himself; you have to do it for him. Sorry, but, playing nice, isn't going to work, this time.

Answer 4

I would talk to her about it. Ask her why she is always giving the child tylenol. The kid could be teething or have some type of problem that requires her to give him the tylenol. That being said, it sounds like she is just using the tylenol to get him to sleep so that she doesn't have sleepless nights. This is selfish and could very well be considered child abuse. Children can have a lot of damage from being overly medicated, not to mention it could result in death. After talking to her about what she is doing, if she doesn't change then I would report her to child services. The safety of the child should come before anything else and if she is just drugging him to get extra sleep then the child is in a harmful situation and someone needs to get him out of that environment.

Once you become a parent, you can't be selfish anymore. You will have sleepless nights and you will have bad days, but making your child sleep is not the answer.

As far as sleeping alot, how much does he sleep? My son is 17 months old and he sleeps from 8:15pm until 7:00am and then takes about an hour nap between 10-11am and another nap between 3:30-5pm. Children do need a lot of sleep, but tylenol should not be used to help them get to sleep. A warm cup of milk may be able to get him to sleep better, if that is the problem that she is having.

Answer 5

Maybe try talking to her about it if you are close to her?  I'd say it in a joking but serious way if you know what I mean.

Answer 6

I really don't think you should give your child any medication-prescribed or over the counter unless it is completely necessary.Just confront her about it-it sounds to me like she's in depression.She sleeps alot-she may need professional help

Answer 7

wtf

Answer 8

No, it's not safe. Medicines are drugs. They should be used only when a child is sick and needs them.

I didn't think tylenol in itself would make a child sleep, though? If her child is in pain and relieving the pain is what makes him sleep, then he needs to see a doctor.

Answer 9

Personally I believe shes drugging the child for her own selfish wants. Too much tylenol in an adults body can cause liver failure. Imagine what the baby, who has it all the time and has become dependent on it, could end up dealing with.

Answer 10

Overuse of tylenol will cause liver damage.  You need to tell your sister in law to stop using it on her child or you will have to report her to child protection (whatever your equivalent is).  In a nutshell this child can get sick and could die.