10 yr old scared to fly (1st time)

[ceecae]

I have a dilema I have a 10 year old son who is scared to fly and says he doesnt want to. He is very stubborn, and has ADD. Does anyone have any suggestion how to get him on the plane succesfully, Dr. said to use bendryl but not sure if that will work with him???
any help wold be appreciated

 

[badblackpug]

Be careful with Benadryl. On some kids it has the opposite reaction, it actually makes them hyper. Maybe you could schedule a red eye flight and keep him very busy/ active all day then he will sleep on the plane?

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Check out this website - www.takingflight.us/forums - that is a free site for Fearful Flyers. They have Southwest pilots, a psychologist, nurse, business travelers, flight instructors and many others willing to answer questions and help.

 

[flortlebap]

Is he taking Ritalin? Could your doctor advise a higher dose just for the day to ensure he's calm?

Otherwise ask about the possible negative side effects of Benadryl and take that route. Fingers crossed it goes OK for you, I know what plane phobias are like in adulthood, it must be horrible in childhood.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

If you want to try Benadryl, try it out before you go to see how your son reacts. If it makes him hyper, you know not to try it on the plane.

Does he like roller coasters? A lot of people are afraid of flying, especially about take-offs and landings, so I tell them it feels just like being in a roller coaster. The rest of the flight is pretty boring, really, you don't even feel much movement (unless there's turbulence, of course.)

It's typical to be a bit nervous about something you've never done before. If he is just slightly nervous, he'll probably be fine. Definitely check out that website for fearful flyers!

 

[Tam1067]

We had a similar problem with a four year old who actually did better than we anticipated once we were at the airport and he realized he was actually going to Disney. That said, I gave him Dramamine and he slept most of the way. Good luck.