Do you give kids alcohol/drowsy meds to help them sleep?

dmum

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 2:47 pm

My DD had really bad eczema and was scratching so badly in her sleep that she had open bleeding and pus-filled wounds. The more mild antihistamines didn't help her so she eventually wound up on a really strong sedative for a couple of months (used as a pre-med for surgery generally) so that she'd sleep deeply enough to leave her skin alone and let it heal. I would give it to her and she'd be knocked out within half an hour. BH it helped and then we stopped it, but I did keep it for a 14 hour flight we went on several months later and gave her half a dose then, with my pediatrician's blessing.
But barring a medical reason? No. It wouldn't even occur to me.

shnitzel

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 3:49 pm

I love benadryl. It is a very safe drug and I use it every time my toddler is congested. It clears her up so she can fall asleep easily and even nurse she then sleeps well without waking up coughing and has never once developed an ear infection since we started using it. Before that she developed horrible ear infections after every stuffy nose because of the fluid build up and no sleep. Now she sleeps well with no fluid and her illnesses never last as long and we haven't needed antibiotics which have many more side effects.

I don't think using meds that are not absolutely necessary on a regular basis is a good idea. I wish there was some completely safe magic bedtime drug. I'm torn over whether I would use it on a flight since I don't feel comfortable using medication for a non medical reason.

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 4:01 pm

Holy cow, people do that? I had no idea. shock

ElTam wrote:

I would ask a pediatrician before giving valerian to a child. Herbal and natural doesn't mean safe for little ones.

This is very true. I wouldn't give melatonin without medical advice either.

yo'ma

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 4:06 pm

abby1776 wrote:

Benadryl sometimes has the opposite effect on some children (especially those with ADHD/ADD) it makes them hyperactive. I cant imagine a dr reccomending it for a flight.

They, whoever they is Very Happy

, say that you should give benadryl a day or two before a flight to see how your child reacts to it. I never give it for a flight or otherwise, except for when they're sick Wink

Mommy3.5

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 9:14 pm

I do not believe in giving benadryl for any reason other then allergic reactions. I think its criminal to drug a kid up for his parents comfort. Not all kids go to sleep with benadryl, some get hyper, and some get horribly cranky and groggy, but do not fall asleep.

I use benadryl for my son with allergies, when he has an allergic reaction, and it is not pretty what happens to him. I also have used it myself for allergic reactions myself, it makes me feel like I was run over by a bus, for 24-48 hours after my last dose. I cannot imagine doing THAT to a child for a couple of hours of sleep.

groisamomma

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 10:09 pm

I used melatonin over the summer for my oldest dc, but since the sun goes down earlier now, he's falling asleep easier (faster than, say, two hours of tossing and turning). So we reduced the melatonin to 1-2 times a week. We started it when his rebbe complained that he wasn't getting enough sleep and the dr. said he's hoarse from lack of sleep, too (?). I hope once he's off it he'll never have to use it again; reading what I did here makes it sound so scary!

Ruchel

Mon, Oct 17 2011, 10:54 pm

NO. I would rather punish so DD stays in bed (not that we need it often, if I forget her bedtime she comes to tell me there is a 2 and a 0 on the clock and she is going to bed LOL

kah). Much less unhealthy.
I also don't give meds or alcohol (!!!!!!!!!) on the plane, even if it will be a 12 hr flight. I would rather use discipline - which I didn't even had to.

Note: I do give painkillers or any med for medical reason. I am actually very thankful for meds.

Quote:

Herbal and natural doesn't mean safe for little ones.

That. Same for pregnant women. Despite what some amothers say, it's not always safer to replace kids or preg women's meds with "something natural". My highly unnatural migraine meds are " a machlokes" during pregnancy. My highly natural and centuries old remedy is "you don't even rub it on your skin".

Once upon a time you put red wine in a child's bottle to make him sleep... my mom witnessed it. I saw a movie about goldmining in the US around 1900 and it involved rubbing whiskey on a kid's bottle to calm him.

SavtaHelen

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 12:45 am

I think that there are a few huge differences here:
First of all, alcohol??? That can cause damage!

Secondly, there is a difference between removing pain and allowing sleep (ie. a teething baby; a child with an ear infection) and drugging for the purpose of sleep.

Unless there are severe sleep disturbances, I wouldn't drug for sleep.

I do think that it is cruel to let a child suffer pain, and not be able to sleep and then would use acamol or ibuprofen to help the child.

Culturedpearls

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 5:15 am

I had a friend with an ADHD kid who she couldn't cope with so shed give him Benadryl to calm him!!!
I couldn't believe it, she refused to consider Ritalin.

If you need to drug your child for not a medically recommended reason you really need to get yourself some help.

mosma

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 5:21 am

if my child is in pain or has a fever so can't sleep, obviously I'll give advil or tylenol to help them feel better so they can sleep.
my son is allergic to many things and so I know from experience that benadryl makes him loopy and hyperactive. even if it didn't, I would never drug my kids to sleep. ick.

on a side note, funny story. my SIL left my 13 year old nephew to watch the kids for about 2 hours one night while they ran to a wedding. when she came back all the kids were fast asleep. when she asked him how he did that so nicely, he said he got the best idea ever. he gave them all benadryl! he couldn't believe no one ever thought of it before!
needless to say, my SIL was not as excited about it as he was.

nylon

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:14 am

Of course I give a painkiller if there is pain stopping a child from sleeping. I think most people would.

I certainly don't give alcohol to a baby and I'm not a fan of using Benadryl as a sleep aid--too dicey. Melatonin does seem to be "safe enough".

I would take a child to the pediatrician if I had serious concerns--children, as well as adults, can have sleep disorders, and they can be treated.

smiledr

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:39 am

Please be careful when administering something "natural" like melatonin - its not supposed to be given to children without speaking to a doctor. also, pregnant women arent allowed to take it as per my doctor tho they can take benadryl if there is no history of adverse reaction to it (aka hyperstimulation/wide awake/restless). ive never given benadryl to a child under 6 because it can actually cause respiratory depression and gd forbid death. there was a lady in bp several years ago that had a daycare in her home and she was giving the kids benadryl to sleep and one baby died...sometimes kids/adults are restless and nothing helps until sleep finally does come - just a little patience...

shnitzel

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 12:07 pm

Culturedpearls wrote:

ADD meds actually make it harder for a kid to sleep. A lot of kids on ADD meds take melatonin to sleep so using Ritalin would likely make the problem worse and not better.

Culturedpearls

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 1:47 pm

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

ADD meds actually make it harder for a kid to sleep. A lot of kids on ADD meds take melatonin to sleep so using Ritalin would likely make the problem worse and not better.

You don't understand she gave it to him during the DAY not night, so he would slow down!

Mama Bear

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:17 pm

valerian isnt an instant sleep drug. I put valerian into my son's bottle at night because it's excellent for ADHD and he often is up for 2 hours after drinking it. it doesnt work like melatonin or benadryl would. it doesnt make you drowsy. it makes you calmer and less hyper.

amother

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:23 pm

I didnt have a chance to read all the posts but here is my 2 cents on melatonin:
I bought a bottle of mel o chews (maxihealth) and showed it to my pediatrician. He said its totally fine to use every night. If 1 doesnt work give 2.

So I used it for my 3 yr old, I gave it for 2 weeks straight. It worked like a dream. No more coming out of bed a million times for drink, bathroom, needs a snack, needs a hug/kiss.... Now I dont give it anymore and guess what? she practically begs me to put her to bed at the same time I used to give the mel o chews. Now I rarely give it and bedtime is a pleasure.

My 8 yr old ds takes it every night to help him fall asleep unless its really late (like these yomtov nights! and he is exhausted). He goes to bed so nicely. He used to come out of bed a gazillion times a night and bedtime was so frustrating. Now its so relaxing!

So bottom line is: if bedtime is such a struggle with some of your dc then give it a try!

Mama Bear

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:35 pm

SavtaHelen wrote:

Well of course I dont dispense motrin willy nilly. I said, I use it on a non verbal baby/toddler/child who is crying and crying for no reason at bedtime or in the middle of the night and cant be calmed with the usual methods such as rocking, nursing, bottle, whatever. Often a child has a toothache, headache, earache, or wahtever and cant express themselves.

as for airplanes: if someone wants to give a 'drowsy med' on an airplane, isnt it better to give dramamine? It's perfectly safe for trravel - it's even recommended for travel - and it is definitely a drowsy med, and it fits the reason! my dr okayed giving 1/4 pill to an almost 2 yr old; he used to vomit every single car trip no matter how short, and this worked wonders. I'm sure that an airplane isnt as nauseating as a car, but it can still be nauseating... so if yorue contemplating a 'drowsy med' for a flight, I think dramamine makes more sense than benadryl...

shnitzel

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 10:15 pm

Culturedpearls wrote:

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

ADD meds actually make it harder for a kid to sleep. A lot of kids on ADD meds take melatonin to sleep so using Ritalin would likely make the problem worse and not better.

You don't understand she gave it to him during the DAY not night, so he would slow down!

Definitely tempting though. I wonder which has worse side effects?

Culturedpearls

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 10:29 pm

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

ADD meds actually make it harder for a kid to sleep. A lot of kids on ADD meds take melatonin to sleep so using Ritalin would likely make the problem worse and not better.

You don't understand she gave it to him during the DAY not night, so he would slow down!

Definitely tempting though. I wonder which has worse side effects?

Ritalin is tested drug for ADHD for over 40 years. It's safe & does not put you to sleep (quite the opposite).
My friend is morally opposed to it!!! But not to drugging her kid with a sedative!
The sedative did not help her child learn to read, focus in the classroom or socially.
The stupidity of the situation was absurd. And now that he's at risk is very sad.

shnitzel

Tue, Oct 18 2011, 10:37 pm

Culturedpearls wrote:

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

shnitzel wrote:

Culturedpearls wrote:

ADD meds actually make it harder for a kid to sleep. A lot of kids on ADD meds take melatonin to sleep so using Ritalin would likely make the problem worse and not better.

You don't understand she gave it to him during the DAY not night, so he would slow down!

Definitely tempting though. I wonder which has worse side effects?

Poor kid is probably always tired.
She probably doesn't want to admit that there is something wrong with her kid. Some people are more scared of prescription meds than over the counter.