It seems a reasonable daycare policy to only give children the drugs
prescribed by their physician. There are certainly many reasons
why this mother should not be treating her child in this way, although your
main concern may not be one of them. In fact, the correct dose
of acetaminophen (tylenol) given at correct intervals is unlikely
to harm the child medically, even when given chronically.
However there are a few facts to keep in mind:
Acetaminophen (tempra, tylenol, atasol) is potentially lethal if
taken in overdose, and the toxic dose is not hard for a child to ingest
with one good swig. I would be very concerned that a child who is taking
the drug everyday would get just a little too attached to the sweet, sticky
stuff, and would have no sense that it was something forbidden.
The drug has no ability to stop a cough. If the child doesn't cough
when he gets the medication, it is probably because he has no cough. If he
does have a persistent cough, then he should be evaluated by his doctor.
If the drug is truly helping the child sleep, perhaps it is treating some
pain that would otherwise wake him up. A chronic pain should definitely be
assessed by his doctor.
If the child is actually in perfect health, as you suggest, then the mother
is creating an unhealthy identity for her kid as someone sick and vulnerable,
with a special problem and special needs.
Acetaminophen is a safe, effective drug when used properly, but it should
not be given to children for more then very short periods of time without
the advice of a physician.
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