bendryl for a child on a plane ride?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

Bendryl for a child on a plane ride?

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amother

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 12:25 am

I just heard about this, that some parents give their children benedryl on plane rides to calm them down and help them sleep.

I wanted to know, do many people do this? does it work? I have to go on an overnight plane ride with my child soon and I am very nervous that my child will not fall asleep and things will be very rough.

can anyone who does do this tell tell me what you do?

and I am not interested in hearing that this is bad for your child, I am just interested in finding out about this way of relaxing a child.

life'sgreat

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 12:31 am

You should be aware that sometimes benadryl has the opposite effect on a child and they become overly active.

amother

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 12:43 am

If you want your child to be calm there is many things you can do like:
giving him Gravol (Dimenhydrinate ) is more effective then benadryl.

You can give some chloral hydrate (hypnoval) which is a stronger medication but will do wonders for at least 3-6 hours. You have to get a prescription for that.

do not forget the usual natural remedies arsenal like homeopathic chamomilla 3 granules every 30 minutes until the toddler is asleep and other remedies (seek assistance in the 'natural section' of imamother)

imamama

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 12:55 am

I've heard some horror stories about giving Benadryl for plane rides. For one, like life'sgreat said, it had the opposite effect, and the kid was hyperactive and insane. Another person told me her kids slept very fitfully for about an hour, and then they were up the rest of the time.

Newsie

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 12:58 am

It works for my kids! It helps them sleep- even though they're in uncomfortable seats and with loud noises all around. But I have heard that it makes some kids hyper. I knew it worked for my older two and my younger one, I knew it made her sleepy because she had to take it one time because of an allergic reaction and she slept beautifully while she was on it.

yummydd

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 1:05 am

I have used it a few times and it worked wonders.

mha3484

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 1:09 am

On a flight a few years ago I took two tylenol PMs and when my mom found out she flipped. Her logic was C"VS there was an emergency sleeping pills make you fuzzy when you need to be as alert as possible. The same could be said for giving a child something to make them sleepy.

SarahB

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 1:44 am

Just want to add to the warnings that it doesn't always work- has made a kid I know very well [b]extra[/b] hyper, so I'm never willing to risk it!

c.c.cookie

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 2:38 am

I know I myself don't like taking anything that will make me drowsy before a flight because I have a very hard time sleeping on the plane and then I find I'm just extremely exhausted, but still unable to sleep. If your kids have trouble sleeping with noise, light, uncomfortable seats etc. you might be in a situation where they're tired and cranky but still unable to sleep.

shabbatiscoming

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 3:33 am

mha3484 wrote:

I am talking about my child, not myself here. I would NEVER take anything to fall asleep, what if something happened to my child while flying.

than you everyone for your answers. I am the OP. I did not realize that it came out as amother.

I am flying to america from israel, a day flight. that flight I am not nervous about, but coming back to israel will be over night and I am SOOOOOOOOOO nervous about my daughter not falling asleep, she can be that way, so tired that she just goes nuts but not falling asleep.

anyone have any other suggestions?

the natural things that someone mentioned, can I get that from a natural food store? anything else?

thanks so much.

ewa-jo

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 4:12 am

We flew from Israel to America with a 9-month-old last year. My secret weapon was to bring lots of Bamba and let him stuff his face.

Some babies fall asleep well because of the engine noise and the movement of the plane. On the way back, we gave him some cold meds, but that was because he was sniffling and sneezing a lot... I don't think they helped him sleep any better.(they helped him sleep because he wasn't miserable from being sick, but they didn't make him sleepier than his usual non-sick self)

You could always try Rescue Remedy to keep him calm... that's natural and safe.

mha3484

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 9:44 am

The point I seemed to have failed at making is that you want to make sure you don't give DD something that knocks her out so completely that if you had to wake her up in the middle of the night she wouldnt get up. Sorry for the confusion.

Ruchel

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 9:49 am

We joke about doing something like that, with dh. But truth is we've never given her meds she didn't need. Though, iyh this summer we're going to Hong Kong, and it is veeeeery tempting Wink

Chayalle

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 9:56 am

My sister, a pediatrician, said it's fine to give to a child. She has done it herself. Just make sure you know the correct dose.

That being said, I didn't do it. Didn't find it necessary. I flew to E"Y this winter on a night flight with my then-21-month-old DD and the flight there was great!

I flew on a small plane with the side seats having 2 seats. The guy beside me had no interest (B"H) in flying beside a woman and her child so he asked to be switched, leaving me both seats to myself. I had taken along a big fluffy pillow which I put on the seat bent to an L-shape, such that DD would't be able to fall under the armrest into the aisle. I put my legs across the side, and put DD between my legs and the backrest with her head on the bottom L of the pillow...and I leaned back against the plane cushions, against the window...and we both slept for most of the ride!

On the way back I got the bulkhead seats and truth be told, the way there was better. Because the bulkhead armrests don't go up, so I couldn't stretch out across two seats. Though DD slept well on the floor, atop the pillow, I was very uncomfortable.

Hatzlacha whatever you decide!

yummydd

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 9:58 am

My pediatrician also reccomended it for me.

sky

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 11:14 am

I know people who test it on their children before they give it on the plain to see what happens. If it make their kids hyper or relaxed.

4ofus

Wed, Jul 21 2010, 11:05 pm

Never again! I gave it to mt 2 year old on a flight to Florida and she was an absolute nutcase for 3 hours straight freaking out on top of her lungs. It was a NIGHTMARE!

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