Teething sos amber necklaces recall

Hobbitfeet

meeeeh wrote: »

Natural instincts also told us that cat piss and leeches did wonders. I'm not discrediting every home remedy there is, I'm just saying that they can't be compared to the actual medicines. It is a bit naive to say that those beads are just like Calpol. They might be once they are properly tested and bias is eliminated. Anybody who ever did completely basic stuff on research knows that testimonials are useless. This is not a slight towards anybody in particular it's just basic human nature and i'm afraid we can't be trusted.

I never said using amber was just like calpol. Please read my comments more carefully.

All I'm saying is that people should question things more and not blindly trust something just because there has been clinical trials and studies done on it and totally discredit anything which may not have had numerous studies on it. I also don't believe we should blindly trust all alternative medicines, they same goes here we need to question and educate ourselves.
There are so many cases of drugs causing severe side effects eg thalidomide, swine flu vaccine the list is endless. Maybe if we had of been more cautious and questioned more some side effects to people and children could have been prevented.
I believe that personal testimonies of people who are actually using either mainstream or alternative therapies are very important. The medial community also finds these important and uses them for many reasons like to find out about the most common side effects for a particular drug and hopefully design a better drug that reduces this. Clinical trials are great but they are tightly controlled and do not allow for any variables, life is not like that there are some many different variables here and these all have an effect on whatever form of medication you are using. No two people are the same yet drugs are a one size fits all.
Also leeches are actually now used in mainstream medicine, natural instincts were right again

meeeeh

They were used all over the place. I thought somebody will bring them up. But anyway the problem with testimonials on Internet is that there is no quality control. Which is ok if you are booking the hotel but a lot more risky if you are self medicating (not so much in this case). The problem with Internet is that you will find confirmation of any crazy opinion out there you just have too look for it.

I'm not going to go further in the discussion because it is a bit off topic. My opinion of alternative medicine is not good to put it mildly and two similar threads in this forum kind of set me off.

Hobbitfeet

meeeeh I totally understand why you question alternative medicine, that's great that's what people should be doing but they should also be questioning mainstream medicine to the same extent.
I totally agree with you about the internet, that's why its good to talk to others and our HCPs in real life about these issues. You shouldn't just believe something because somebody says it, its the point I have been trying to make to you Question everything, inform, trust and educate yourself. I hope that threads like this make people want to question what they have read. I hope that they do not just believe or accept something just because they have read it on boards.ie but go and investigate and make up their own minds

Hannibal Smith

You buy calpol you know what's in it because it says on the box. You may have to do a bit of googling to understand the science bits , but generally the information is there for you, as are the side effects and dangers (ie correct dosage etc)

If its true and the amber bracelet works through absorption...what are you absorbing and in what quantities? What are the side effects and dangers associated with it?

And I don't mean what it says on the information leaflet that comes with the bracelet/necklace. What is the independent research done to give parents as much information as possible about what their children are using?

I understand only too well that children teeth in different ways and so need different treatments to get them through it, but generally my understanding is hat the drooling is necessary to soften the gums, which is what leads to the nappy rash. Generally frequent nappy changes and clean dry bums will cure it, but we use products to speed things along.

KGLady

Heh amusing to see the same foaming at the mouth as there was in previous threads discussing Amber Beads, but I think its derailing somewhat from a discussion as to returning them or choosing to not take on the advice.

I bought two anklets which baby wears under her clothes, she loves to try reach them when she is stripped for a bum change, but she doesn't get to touch them because she is supervised for those brief times they are not concealed inside her clothes. I bought them to try as I was a big skeptic, but figured seeing as they each cost about the same as a large bottle of calpol there was no harm trying it - providing she doesn't access them with her hands, and so long as its on her legs, never her neck.

Anyway, she cut her first tooth yesterday, and it was a shock to us as she has had very minimal teething symptoms. Occasional calpol or bonjella but compared to our no1 & no2 who would have needed constant pain meds when teeth were breaking through, she has had a simple time of it. Family members commented over Easter how unusual it is to see a baby her age without constant drooly chin and soaked bibs (she only wears one for spoon feeding). When her Dad left them off her after a bath, she was drool soaked through to her vest and needed calpol overnight. I can't explain the science or medicine behind it, nor would I try to, but I can't ignore the fact that luckily, they are working for her. I'm one more parent that has read the advice on the recall, but will be leaving my baby with them on her ankles. I'd feel cruel now to take them away and so long as I am responsible about her not getting access to them on her ankles, I've no hesitation to leave them.

Ericaa

Ericaa wrote: »

That's amazing!

My six month old isn't really showing any signs of teething yet, except for gnawing on my fingers haha.
I'd be curious enough to try the amber, but I'm just gonna stick with the hope that he won't be a bad teether :P

aaand I guess I was right, just realised he cut a tooth last night! Absolutely no fuss from him

IvyTheTerrible

My baby doesn't wear the amber bracelet and he has cut four teeth with no issues. He does were Penney's pyjamas every day though, that must be why he has no fuss! :P
Personally I don't believe in amber bracelets and I definitely think putting them on a baby's neck is dangerous (and the argument that because the beads are small enough to be easily swallowed means the child won't choke, is just silly, tbh. Things "go down the wrong way" all the time, that can be swallowed easily.
If people are worried about using Calpol for teething, why don't ye use a product like Calmomila (a calmomile natural extract made expecially for teething babies)?

pwurple

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

you can also buy thing called 'sock ons' which keep socks on!! lol maybe this would help.

Sock-Ons are not recommended for wear during sleep. They can restrict circulation, think compression bandage. It's on the packaging and also on the front page of their website.

Don't use those on a sleeping baby to keep anything tied to his ankle. Just bin them.

Hobbitfeet

pwurple wrote: »

Sock-Ons are not recommended for wear during sleep. They can restrict circulation, think compression bandage. It's on the packaging and also on the front page of their website.

Don't use those on a sleeping baby to keep anything tied to his ankle. Just bin them.

Thanks for that I don't actually use them have just seen them advertised. I'm sure the poster would have read the packet if she had of bought them

Hobbitfeet

I emailed the NCA to ask them about the testing of these last Thursday. So far no one there has been able to tell me how the tests are carried out, just that they failed. They did say that the recall was only for Honey Bean necklace and bracelet sold by teething SOS and it did not apply to any other amber product. The also said "The NCA website advisory offers guidance to caregivers regarding these products based on the NCA's opinion"
When I kept asking how they actually carried out the tests I was questioned as to who I was and why I wanted this info. The women emailing me said she didn't know she wasn't a technical person, fair enough, so i asked surely someone there knew how the tests were performed but all I was told was that the tests were done in a lab in the UK and that no member of the NCA had any involvement in the testing or could explain how they were preformed.

Ms2011

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

My baby doesn't wear the amber bracelet and he has cut four teeth with no issues.

Ah yeah but that's just a coincidence...isn't that what people who DO use the beads are fobbed off with all the time

Cienciano

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

We seem to have lost all respect for the observations of parents. Unless something has had numerous clinical trials we call it useless or do not trust it could work. Observations and testimonies from countless parents say that using amber helps there child. Why can't we have a little faith in this.
I brought up calpol as I felt it was totally acceptable to question amber or anything other non mainstream treatment but not ok to question calpol.
Amber is not a rock it is fossilised tree sap

Of course scientific proof is far more important than observations of parents. Baby has 2 nights bad sleep, stick the amber necklace on, baby has a good nights sleep. This means the amber did it.
See a flaw in the above? My wife is convinced the amber is amazing. I'm looking at the same child, I can see he still wakes at night when teething, crys sometimes and chews things. He just happened to have a good night sleep 2 nights in a row after we got the amber. He was only having the odd bad night before that.

Jesus Christ

Ms2011 wrote: »

Ah yeah but that's just a coincidence...isn't that what people who DO use the beads are fobbed off with all the time

Read the next sentence.

pwurple

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

Thanks for that I don't actually use them have just seen them advertised. I'm sure the poster would have read the packet if she had of bought them

I wouldn't be sure of that at all. Common sense flies out the window when it comes to teething for some people.

MadsL

Between Teetha and Amber there is some serious delusion going on. Companies making this stuff laughing all the way to the bank.

Ms2011

Jesus Christ wrote: »

Read the next sentence.

I did, then I made a similiar joke the poster did hence the smiley!

Jesus Christ

Ah. It wasn't recognisable as such.

Hobbitfeet

Cienciano wrote: »

Of course scientific proof is far more important than observations of parents.

There has been quite a few news stories in the UK lately of parents not being listened too when they have brought their sick child to the dr or hospital and then there has been very serious outcomes for these poor kids. This is why observations of parents should be listened to and not just dismissed because they don't have any medical training, we see when parents aren't listened too things can turn out very bad.

Parents know their children best and yet we have this attitude that parents are not qualified enough to be really listened too and taken seriously. It's really sad and to be honest im really in shock that it seems like most people on here believes that what they observe with their children is worthless and they shouldn't trust it but only trust drs, scientists and medical research.

I am the only one who believes I know my child better than any dr or medical researcher, that my observations on how my child reacts to different things are important and should be listened too?

IvyTheTerrible

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

There has been quite a few news stories in the UK lately of parents not being listened too when they have brought their sick child to the dr or hospital and then there has been very serious outcomes for these poor kids. This is why observations of parents should be listened to and not just dismissed because they don't have any medical training, we see when parents aren't listened too things can turn out very bad.

Parents know their children best and yet we have this attitude that parents are not qualified enough to be really listened too and taken seriously. It's really sad and to be honest im really in shock that it seems like most people on here believes that what they observe with their children is worthless and they shouldn't trust it but only trust drs, scientists and medical research.

I am the only one who believes I know my child better than any dr or medical researcher, that my observations on how my child reacts to different things are important and should be listened too?

Observations on sick children and knowing your child is completely different that saying something works because of simple coincidence. No one here said that people shouldn't listen to parents. Coincidence made people believe that autism is caused by the MMR vaccine. This has been disproved by science, but many children have become ill and even died because parents believed coincidence instead of science.

Hobbitfeet

Why do we not believe that something works because countless parents say that yes this works and helps my child? Maybe it doesn't work for all but that is the same for all medications one drug may work for 1 child but not for another, does that mean its a coincidence?

Cienciano

There's a simple test to see if amber gives your child pain relief. Wear the necklace your self next time there's something wrong with you and see the effects for yourself

Jesus Christ

Should be mandatory imho. No painkillers for parents that believe in amber.

Call me Al

You know something... I never took these amber teething necklaces seriously when our children were born. Perhaps i didn't need to because they didn't have difficulties with their teeth and didn't suffer with nappy rash.
However I was minding a little girl for the best part of 2 years and she had an amber teething necklace for most of that time. She never took any notice of it around her neck. The few days she didn't wear it I noticed her dribbling a lot more than normal. Purely anecdotal of course, and I have absolutely zero interest in discussing adnauseum the medical side of things, but I really would never be so quick to dismiss them in future after this experience with one They clearly worked for this little girl.

Suucee

I think its a case of each to there own. Most of us here that use it use it under a sock or babygro at night. The child doesn't get a chance to play with it likes its a toy . Ive used it since LO was 2 or 3 months. She cut her first tooth no problem but when she cut her second she was up during the night and suffering with it so I did give calpol, I wasn't going to let her suffer. We weren't sure if it was working for her then so decided to stop using it.
A few weeks later we noticed she was dribbling a lot, cranky and had nappy rash so we were giving the calpol and even nurophen with a few sleepless nights. We decided to give it another go and things did start to improve fairly quickly.
She's now 11.5 months has 8 teeth and since we put the bracelet back on her we really haven't had much of a problem.
Maybe it is a coincidence that things improved when we use the bracelet or maybe it works . I believe it works. We took it off again when we heard about the product recall and the same thing happened. To be honest I think that really is too much of a coincidence.
There may not be any medical research to confirm that it works but there is also nothing to say it doesn't. It may not work for every child the same way that panadol may not work for every adult but it works for us. And as it is out of her reach I don't find it a danger. I

MadsL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnigcNxqG0

Supposedly 'harmless' homeopathic product caught out with sloppy manufacturing processes resulting in them pointing poisoning levels of belladonna in their product.

Crazy thing is that homeopathic products do not have to be licensed in Ireland. The IMB really should be taking the same approach as the FDA and making sure that all that is in these homeopathic things is sugar or water. Either they are medicines and have an active ingredient as homoeopaths claim and therefore subject to medical trials or they are a sham and should be banned as a rip-off.

Hobbitfeet

Homeopathic products are licensed here http://www.imb.ie/EN/Medicines/Human-Medicines/Licensing/Homeopathics.aspx

MadsL

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

Homeopathic products are licensed here http://www.imb.ie/EN/Medicines/Human-Medicines/Licensing/Homeopathics.aspx

My mistake.

However,

Simplified Registration Scheme In 1992 Directive 92/73/EC introduced a Simplified Scheme for homoeopathic products. It is regarded as simplified because although the safety and quality of products has to be demonstrated, products are not permitted to make medical claims. The Scheme is restricted to products for oral and external use and does not allow indications.

In order to qualify for registration the products must:

Be for oral or external use - this includes all methods of administration with the exception of injections
Be sufficiently dilute to guarantee their safety
Make no therapeutic claims

Why would the State allow registration of products that do nothing? Seems bonkers.

Morph the Cat

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

My son is keeping his too. You have to use your common sense with things like this.

If you had common sense, you wouldn't believe that stuff like this actually works.

My wife bought one for our baby, and I laughed - there's no way I'd let a baby wear such an obvious choking hazard. It's ridiculous pseudo science with absolutely no evidence to back up it's claims.

Hobbitfeet

Don't know really guess its like we know that camomile tea is relaxing and fennel tea is good for wind but there's no thearaputic claims on tea boxes. Don't use homeopathy myself so couldn't really comment on it much.

Hobbitfeet

Morph the Cat wrote: »

If you had common sense, you wouldn't believe that stuff like this actually works.

My wife bought one for our baby, and I laughed - there's no way I'd let a baby wear such an obvious choking hazard. It's ridiculous pseudo science with absolutely no evidence to back up it's claims.

Thanks your comment has really added some valuable information to the thread there is also no evidence it has no effect. If you don't want to use them that's fine that's your parenting choice and nobody should insult you for that, so please don't insult me for mine