Benadryl for long flight

[javierandastrid]

Our ped has ok'd use of Benadryl for our long plane ride next week. She had told me to "test" DS this weekend just to see how he will react to it. Apparently, some kids get the opposite side effects.

Anyway, i wanted to know if anyone has ever done this, and if you can share your experience. Personally, i dont want to give my son (who is 20 months old) anything. However i will be traveling alone with him for near 24 hours. My son is a handful, and i know that i will be exhausted.

TIA

[ellies mom]

I used it when my DD was about the same age. It would be a good idea to try it out first only because it would really suck to find out your child gets amped while on the plane.

Our first flight was two legs and it worked great. Unfortunately, our second flight was three legs. It worked great for the first two legs but not at all for the third (which was the leg where I was alone). I was a wreak by the end of that leg. I couldn't imagine spending the whole day like that. I learned on that flight that no matter how horrible I thought it was to hear some baby cry on the plane, it is way worse for the Mother. I will never listen to a baby cry on a plane again without feeling great sympathy for the poor Mama (I might just offer to buy her a drink too. ;) )

Anyhow, I think it was worth every sedating drop. Good luck on the flight.

[Sarah1]

Benadryl never made Audrey sleep. And I've tried it several times. But it never made her hyper either. I hope it works for your DS! Long plane rides are NO fun. I've been there.

[lizamann]

I am pretty much against this sort of thing, but dh really wanted to do it on one of our trips. DD sneezed and was a little snuffly, so to justify it to myself, I thought, well, the poor dear has a cold, so we'll give it to her LOL! She did sleep the entire time (3.5 hours) and it was heaven. But we have flown on maybe a dozen flights and only used it once. Honestly, the flights where we didn't have it were not bad, either, so I don't think dh will be winning that battle in the future.

[JBaxter]

We have used it twice on our travels. I keep it for a last resort but it worked for us. DS is 22 months and has about 6 cross country flights under his uhh diaper :P Anyway I would definatly recommend trying it before hand before after noon nap. Its great when it works but my nephew gets VERY hyper ( my sister found out the hard way when she gave it to him before bed he was still chattering at 330 in the morning).
Jeana

[mudder17]

Definitely test it out first. I've never used it on Kaya, even when we were traveling for over 12 hours, because I've always flown with both of us. But if we ever have to resort to it, I WILL test it first because Benedryl makes me tired, but wired. So I totally become unfunctional, but I also can't fall asleep. It's pretty awful, and I would hate to find out that that's what would happen to Kaya during a flight! When Kaya was younger, our pede actually suggested we NOT do it unless it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. But as I said, I haven't flown with Kaya by myself yet, so we'll have to see what I do if we ever get in that situation--of course, she may be much older by then, in which case it'll be a moot point.

Good luck! I hope it works for you.


Eileen

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[cilantromapuche]

DS has been on several 24 hr. trips (where I have been alone) and is active. It has never been the horror I imagined (and he was even teething). He ran up and down the aisles, etc. but people were very understanding. Benedryl never worked for him and I don't think anything would, but it certainly is worth trying. For the 15 hour flight he slept maybe 4 hours of it. I was exhausted but endured.
Christine

mama to A (7/03)

[jd11365]

Sometimes it works, but sometimes it has absolutely no effect. I gave it as a test first an hour before naptime, and had no ill effects. I have 2 friends IRL who swear by it, and I still use it and hope for the best, as sometimes it seems to take her down a notch, but the good news is she's never been hyper from it. Good luck! :)

[lmariana]

I'm another mom from the school of "I'll never do that with my kids"!

After our first flight (3-4 hours) when Gabe was 12 months old, I ran to the nearest drugstore and bought a bottle of Benedryl. :) He did okay on the way there, but it was so stressful for me to keep him entertained and pleasant during the flight that I almost had a nervous breakdown!

The trip home was heavenly. He started out cranky and much worse than the trip down, so I broke out the Benedryl. He slept so well, and I was able to relax.

Now, I pack it on all our trips. It's definitely a "last resort" measure, but it's good to have a backup plan to save my sanity, or at least what's left of it!

About hyperactivity reactions...
Gabe has only had one hyper-reactive episode in his life where he was literally climbing the walls until 2 am. It wasn't because of Benedryl. It was beets! So, just a word to the wise, avoid introducing any new foods while travelling as well...just in case!

Mariana
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[lilycat88]

Never used it or had a reason to consider it. BUT... A good friend of mine tried it with her son (pediatrician said try it) and he was one that it impacted the opposite of the way you want it to. He was literally running around and beating his head up against walls.


Jamelin
Mom to Susanna born 6/29/2004

[Marisa6826]

Well, I can tell you that Benadryl has NO effect on Sophie at all. She doesn't turn into Richocet Rabbit, but she sure doesn't get sleepy.

In the scheme of things, Benadryl is a pretty harmless thing. If I was going to be travelling alone with a toddler for 24 hours, I'd be heading for either Benadryl for the kid or tequila for me! ;)

-m

[brittone2]

Add me to the list of parents who never thought they'd do such a thing. We have used it 2-3 times as DS absolutely despises the car even at almost 19 months of age. Several months ago we had to make several 10+ hour car trips with him and I did a "test" dose at home in advance and knew it didn't wire him.

I think it helps him get to sleep/stay asleep a bit longer (we tend to take long car trips overnight, ( I haven't dosed him during daytime/awake hours and doubt it would work in his case) but for him, it isn't a magic sleeping potion or anything. I really don't use it at all anymore as a result. I can usually get him to sleep and stay asleep just with nursing him when he stirs in the car. Obviously on the plane, it is not quite as easy. We haven't flown with DS since he was about 2 months old.

I just don't like the idea in general, but my mommy desperation drove me to try it because 10 hours in the car with a child who hates driving more than 20 mins is just unbearable. Dr. Sears actually admits to having used it for his own kids on his website and gives info on using it for its sedative effects. That made me feel a smidge better ;)

[kransden]

My dd was a "high needs" (what an understatement :) ) child. I tried Benadryl but it made her even more wired. So make sure to test it first. I am sure glad I did. If it worked, I would have used it in a heartbeat. Giving your child a safe medication for a plane flight is nothing to feel guilty about. My dd is old enough now I wouldn't have to do it. Don't forget your dollar store treats for ds!

Karin and Katie 10/24/02