Ok Mammas out there! Help me solve an arguement eith my husband.
I have always been told never to use a silverware teaspoon to administer medication to kids as it is NOT the same as a measuring teaspoon. I gasped when I say my husband giving our daughter cough medicine in one the other day. First because there are plenty of medicine cups lying around, but also because of this teaspoons do not equal teaspoon theory. So, when I confronted him on his apparent lack of knowledge about adminitering medicine to our daughter (lol) he set out to prove me wrong. In fact our silverware teaspoons ARE exactly the same as our measuring teaspoon! How can this be??? Is this true for ALL silverware teaspoons or was the master of "letting-my-husband-be-right-sometimes" in the room with us today?
I'll be honest, I use the teaspoons and always have - It's just easier. Even my dad, who is a Pedi has done it and to be honest the difference (if any) isn't enough to be concerned with.
This is SO FUNNY - because I know it happens in so many households! A teaspoon for medicine dosage is 5 mils, if your tableware happens to hold that, then it is ok for meds!
I agree, it is strange!
I guess in this one your husband wins. But not all teaspoons are the same. Some are deeper in the spoon part. I once measured meds in a teaspoon and the teaspoon was more. My mom always used a regular spoon so I got curious. I also measured a tablespoon and that was the same thing, some are much more that a tablespoon. I guess since they are not really meant to be used for measuring they are not all the same.
I know a lot of times using a teaspoon (silverware) is fine and does measure out correctly...but I still use the actual medicine cup or teaspoon. It makes more sense than wondering if my silverware is spot on with the right measurement to me. But that's my personal opinion/decision. :)
Yeah--he got REALLY lucky! LOL
We have had this same argument. We have every medicine measuring device known to man, and STILL my husband will go into the silverware drawer....grrrrrrrr.....not such a big deal with an adult, but got little ones those small amounts can be significant!
Lol! That is hilarious- master of letting my husband be right. :)
Yep, apparently the gods thought he needed a win today and he lucked out. I have 2 sets of silverware, and they are absolutely not the same sizes. I wonder if either one of them is a teaspoon... I'll have to go check. :) You are correct that you are not supposed to use silverware to measure. I guess it ok for measuring out teaspoons in your case, but I would double-check the tablespoon before using it just to be on the safe side.
Lucky you! Your husband now knows everything there is to know for ever and ever. You will never win another argument with him unless you absolutely prove yourself right. And every single time there is any doubt, he will remind you of that time he was right about the teaspoon. Nevermind that if he'd used a neighbor's teaspoon, he would have been wrong...or even that other teaspoon from a different set in the back of your drawer. Now he has AMMO, baby! LOL!
Your hubby lucked out.
Not all silverware sizes are the same. It depends on the shape of the spoon. The set my in-laws have, the only real way I can tell between a teaspoon and Tablespoon is by the length of the handle. I always beg them to use the medicine cup.
M.
A teaspoon is a teaspoon when it holds 5 ml.
well, I imagine they call them "teaspoons" and "tablespoons" for a reason. :-) We always used our silverware when taking meds as kids.
My first question is how old your daughter is - if she's under 6, she shouldn't be receiving cough medication per the American Academy of Pediatrics because overdosing was a huge issue that led to many health concerns in younger children.
That being said, I use silverware to measure tspn when cooking, but I'd not when administering medication. As a biologist and someone working for a long time in the pharmaceutical industry, precision is really important.
Under the circumstances, it appears all is well. I'd just not recommend it in the future. Cough/cold medicine seems harmless enough, but it was enough of the issue for a major medical body to restrict its use.
I just saw something about this the other day on the TV show called 'The Doctors'....(maybe you could google, youtube or bing it and watch the segment). They were saying what you said (and what I had always thought) never use a regular silverware teaspoon when measuring medications. But, if you did the "science experiment" and they are exactly the same...I guess you, me and "The Doctors" are wrong! ;)
OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!!!!!!!
My husband and I had this same exact argument a few months back. In my case, I WON!!!
You see, not all silverware was created equal. I think even though yours is a pretty equal measurement, I, especially when it comes to children, would use a medicine measuring spoon.
As far as the previous post about thats why they call them "teaspoons" and "tablespoons". That may have worked back in the day. It is not necessarily so these days. Like I said, they are NOT all the same!!!
This made me laugh! My husband has a 'happy dance' he does when he is right - mainly b/c it happens so few times lol :) Oh, and just consider yourself lucky that you can use your teaspoon or a measuring spoon.
Not all silverware is the same. Some "teaspoons" are in fact smaller or larger than a standard teaspoon. You should really only use a measuring cup, if only so that the medication doesn't spill out or overflow.
