Stuipdruppels — Afrikaans for “convulsion drops” — is a traditional South African remedy given for colic, wind, restlessness and unsettled babies. It does not appear in the medicine register, so this page cannot say what is in yours. The name itself is the reason to be careful.
What is Stuipdruppels?
Stuipdruppels is a long-established household remedy, sold in small bottles and given in drops. It is deeply familiar in many South African homes, particularly for babies.
A search of the South African Medicine Price Registry returns no product under this name. That is not unusual — traditional and complementary medicines follow a different regulatory route from registered scheduled medicines, and general-sale remedies need no registration at all. Its absence says nothing about whether it is legally sold.
What it does mean is that the contents of your bottle cannot be verified from here, and this guide will not guess at them. Formulations differ between manufacturers and have changed over the years.
Read the label. Legitimate complementary medicines must declare their ingredients. Look for the ingredient panel, the manufacturer and distributor with a South African address, the age it is intended for, and any regulatory statement. Then show the bottle to a pharmacist — they can read the panel and tell you what class it belongs to and whether anything in it matters for a baby.
The name deserves attention. Stuipdruppels translates as convulsion or fit drops, and the traditional belief is that it prevents or treats convulsions in infants. No home remedy treats or prevents seizures. A convulsing baby is a medical emergency and needs a hospital, not drops. If that is why you are considering it, that is the single most important thing on this page.
What is Stuipdruppels commonly used for?
Traditionally it is given for:
- Colic and abdominal cramping in babies.
- Wind and stomach discomfort.
- Restlessness, crying and unsettled sleep.
- Teething discomfort.
- “Preventing convulsions” — the traditional claim behind the name.
- General unsettledness in infants, and sometimes in adults.
There is no reliable clinical evidence that it treats any of these, and that is a statement about the evidence rather than a judgement on the tradition.
Two specific cautions apply to remedies of this kind given to infants, and both are documented problems in South African paediatric practice:
Traditional infant remedies are a recognised cause of poisoning and liver injury. Babies absorb far more relative to their size than adults, and their livers and kidneys handle substances less efficiently. Preparations that are harmless in an adult dose are not necessarily harmless in an infant.
Oily or alcohol-containing preparations carry particular risks. An oily liquid given to a baby can be inhaled into the lungs and cause a severe chemical pneumonia. Alcohol-based preparations can cause dangerously low blood sugar in infants.
What actually helps colic is less dramatic and better supported: holding and carrying, gentle tummy or back rubbing, winding thoroughly during and after feeds, checking feeding technique or bottle teat flow, and — importantly — accepting that colic is common, peaks at around six weeks and resolves on its own by three to four months. If breastfeeding, a clinic nurse can check the latch. Formula changes should be discussed rather than tried at random.
Colic is exhausting, and the exhaustion is a real problem in itself. Ask for help early — from a clinic, a family member, anyone. That is not a failure of coping.
How Stuipdruppels fits into this medicine category
Without knowing the contents, the product cannot be placed. These are the groups it might sit near:
| Group | Examples | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional and herbal remedies | Various | Separate regulatory route; contents vary |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine (Hyospasmol) | Relax gut muscle for cramping — adult use |
| Anti-nausea and prokinetics | Metoclopramide (Adco-Contromet) | Nausea, vomiting, gut motility |
| Simeticone preparations | Infant colic drops | Break up gas bubbles; very low risk, modest evidence |
| Oral rehydration | ORS sachets | Replace fluid and salts in diarrhoea |
If you want something for infant wind specifically, simeticone drops are the conventional option — they are not absorbed at all and are about as low-risk as an infant preparation can be, though the evidence for benefit is modest. See the digestive and stomach medicines hub.
What to check before using Stuipdruppels
- Identify the ingredients. If there is no panel, do not give it — least of all to a baby.
- Check the age it is intended for, and the dose for that age. Never scale an adult dose down by guesswork.
- Check for alcohol in the ingredients, which is not appropriate for infants.
- Check the expiry date and that the seal is intact.
- Tell your clinic or doctor you are using it. Traditional medicine use is common and clinicians deal with it constantly — knowing helps them interpret how a baby is doing rather than counting against you.
- Do not combine it with other remedies or medicines without asking a pharmacist.
- Do not give it to a newborn without professional advice.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Because the contents cannot be verified, the safety profile cannot be stated. What can be stated is when to stop looking for a remedy and get medical help.
Get emergency help immediately if a baby:
- Has a convulsion or fit. Do not give drops. Go to hospital.
- Is difficult to wake, floppy, or unusually drowsy.
- Has a fever, especially under three months of age.
- Is breathing fast, grunting, or drawing in below the ribs.
- Has a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass.
- Is vomiting persistently, or vomiting green fluid.
- Has blood in the stool, or a swollen, tense abdomen.
- Is not feeding, or has far fewer wet nappies than usual.
- Has swallowed a quantity of any remedy — take the bottle along, and do not try to make them vomit.
- Coughs or chokes after being given an oily liquid.
See a clinic nurse or doctor — rather than continuing to treat at home — if crying is inconsolable and prolonged, if a baby is not gaining weight, if colic starts after three months or continues past four, if there is persistent diarrhoea or constipation, or if you simply feel something is not right. That last one is worth acting on; parents are usually correct.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Stuipdruppels used for? Traditionally for colic, wind, restlessness and unsettled babies, and — from the name — for preventing convulsions. There is no reliable evidence it treats any of these, and its contents are not verifiable from the medicine register.
What is Stuipdruppels used for in babies? It is traditionally given for colic and unsettledness. Because the contents cannot be verified and infants absorb far more relative to their size, ask a clinic nurse or pharmacist before giving it to a baby.
What is it used for in adults? The same traditional purposes — cramping, wind and restlessness. The same limitation applies: without an ingredient list, nothing can be said about safety or effect.
Does it prevent convulsions? No. No home remedy prevents or treats seizures. A convulsing child is a medical emergency and needs a hospital immediately.
Is it a registered medicine? No. It is a traditional or complementary product and does not appear in the South African Medicine Price Registry.
What helps colic instead? Holding and carrying, gentle rubbing, thorough winding, checking feeding technique, and time — colic peaks around six weeks and usually resolves by three to four months. Simeticone drops are the conventional low-risk option.
Should I tell my clinic I am using it? Yes. It is common, and knowing helps them care for your baby.
What if the bottle has no ingredient list? Do not give it, particularly to an infant. It cannot be dosed safely or accounted for if the baby becomes unwell.