artificial colours in children's antibiotics

Heledarl

Hi,

Wondering whether anyone can help me with this.

I've a two year old son who was today prescibed antibiotics (amoxycillin) for a bad eye infection. However whenever he's had these antiobiotics in the past, he's always very hyperactive after taking them because of all the artificial colours and sweetners.

I've asked countless pharmicists and doctors today and they all tell me that it's not possible to find an alternative antibiotic without artificial colours. Having just done some research into it myself and looking at the ingredients of the medicine he's been given, I was stunned to find that the medicine contains E104 (the yellow colouring) and E211 (Sodium benzoate)-the food standards agency have called for these two to be banned from children's food and drinks. Why are they then allowed to exist in children's medicines?!!

I promise I'm not being one of those overly precious mother who only feeds her child healthy foods. ( I bribe him most days with chocolate!) but I've noticed that as soon as he takes the medicine, he's extremely hyperactive.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does anyone know of any alternative medicines to ask for?

Would be grateful for any advice. Thanks

doraexplorer

my ds is the same if i give him calpol, i now buy boots own brand paracetmal and hes fine. and i blame the colouring dont know about antiobiotics as hes never had them.

sorry not advice but just to add my bit.

dora

xxxxx

Gingham_Ribbon

Yes, I have the same experience with my usually well behaved son getting totally out of control on E104 and he gets even more upset by it than I do.

There is a solution. The doctor needs to put it on his record that he can't have these additives and it should be on every prescription. (If our GP can do it for our son I know others can too even if they say they can't.)

Glaxo Smith Kline do an amoxycillin that is free from artificial colours. In my son's case, the dose has to be halved as it's a 2.5mg dose, but that's not a problem.

You can request the GSK one to be specified on the prescription or you can ask the chemist if they stock it. Check of course incase they've changed it. It's an ongoign battle trying to avoid these poisons. Good luck.

Krystaltips

I'm sure it's been on the news about the exact issue, that things that are banned from foods are still in medicines... DD has recurrent water infections and has to has specific ABs for them, dread to think what additives are in them as they come in the generic pharmacy bottle... I have found with my Dr though, it doesn't matter what is available, they will always prescribe the cheapest first!

Heledarl

Thanks for all those replies. Glad to hear I'm not alone in this. Apparently, according to two different pharmicists yesterday, the Glaxo Smith Kline amoxycillin that is free from artificial colours has been discontinued-apparently there's no demand for it! It looks like I'll have to put up with the hyperactivity...

Gingham_Ribbon

Heledarl wrote: »

Thanks for all those replies. Glad to hear I'm not alone in this. Apparently, according to two different pharmicists yesterday, the Glaxo Smith Kline amoxycillin that is free from artificial colours has been discontinued-apparently there's no demand for it! It looks like I'll have to put up with the hyperactivity...

OMG NO! Are you sure they said discontinued rather than that they've stopped stocking it?!

There are ways round it. Our children's hospital can make up prescriptions to avoid certain additives. Sometimes another antibiotic can be used. They don't all have these colours in. The last one we had was bright yellow but it didn't have E104 or E110 in it.

wes_cov

I have a similar problem with my daughter she is lactose intolerent and we can't seem to get any antibiotics which don't have lactose in

so she either feels poorly through the infection or poorly through being given milk GGggggrrrrrr

This just makes it doubly difficult to see when she is actually better because the antibiotics make her feel bad anyway (stomach cramps etc)

Milford_Cubicle

I can't have colourants in my diet because I develop a crushing migraine and become very PMT-like. My daughter goes absolutely loopy (she's getting on for 8 now) so I make absolutely sure she doesn't have artificial colours.

It's utterly ridiculous that kid's medicines have these colours in them - I can understand the rationale behind artifical flavourings, but certainly not colours :rolleyes:

mazza111

wes_cov wrote: »

I have a similar problem with my daughter she is lactose intolerent and we can't seem to get any antibiotics which don't have lactose in

so she either feels poorly through the infection or poorly through being given milk GGggggrrrrrr

This just makes it doubly difficult to see when she is actually better because the antibiotics make her feel bad anyway (stomach cramps etc)

Had the same problem with my lad, thankfully he's outgrown the lactose intolerance now, still get the poops if he has too much but all in all it has calmed down, even the vitamins he got from health visitor were full of colourants

tiamai_d

My DS2 is allergic to penacillin, and for that I am in a way, grateful. It seems to be only penacillin based antibiotics that are yellow (and contain the E numbers). The ones he gets are white. They start as white powder and are mixed up with water by the pharmacist.

Calpol gives him the runs due to the colouring or flavouring, but the chemists own brand does not.

Heledarl

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

OMG NO! Are you sure they said discontinued rather than that they've stopped stocking it?!

There are ways round it. Our children's hospital can make up prescriptions to avoid certain additives. Sometimes another antibiotic can be used. They don't all have these colours in. The last one we had was bright yellow but it didn't have E104 or E110 in it.

The pharmacist I spoke to said that it was discontinued, she looked it up in all her books. However, this wasn't at the hospital's chemist, so perhaps they have the facility to make up another antibiotic without the colour..I'll have to try that next time. If you manage to get hold of it in the future, please let me know!!