BABYSTITTER accused of giving a fatal dose of hayfever medicine to an eight-month-old baby boy.

Lori Conley pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, she also pleaded guilty, in Franklin County Court, Ohio, to endangering a child and tampering with evidence following the tragic death of little Haddix Mulkey.

Conley, 44, could be sentenced to up to 17 years in prison when she reappears before the court.

Prosecutors believe she gave an adult dose of Benadryl to Haddix to try to get him to sleep while she was babysitting him May 13 at her suburban Columbus home, reports The Sun.

Authorities say Haddix died that day at a hospital from an overdose of the over-the-counter allergy medication.

It was also revealed Conley was said to be watching over eight toddlers and infants on May 13 – the day Haddix died.
Conley, of Reynoldsburg, will be sentenced on September 5.

Cold Medicines should not be given to children under 6 years of age 

The TGA recommends cough and cold medicines should not be given to children under 6 years of age.

Cough and cold medicines should only be given to children aged 6 to 11 years on the advice of a doctor, pharmacist or nurse practitioner.

There is evidence that they may cause harm to children, while the benefits of using them in children have not been proven.

RCH in Melbourne says, “Children older than six years old should only take cough medicines on the advice of a health professional.  However, there is no scientific evidence that cough medicines will be helpful.”

• A child under 6 years of age may appear to have a cold but actually be suffering from a more serious illness (for example: influenza, asthma, bronchitis or allergic rhinitis), which may require medical attention and treatment.
• Cough and cold medicines offer only temporary relief of common symptoms, such as runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, fever and aches. They do not affect the severity of the viral infection or shorten the time the infection lasts.
• Overdose of these medicines can lead to serious harm.

Alternative treatments for coughs and colds in children aged less than 6 years include:

• rest
• drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic fluids
• inhale steam (under adult supervision) to help relieve a blocked nose­-a shower in a closed room is an effective method
• analgesics, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, can be used to help reduce pain and fever
• saline nose drops can be used to help relieve a blocked nose

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