Anyone have any experience with kids dramamine?

jacobsmommy

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Jun 16, 2006
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My pediatrician recommended kids Dramamine for my kids for our cruise. I was going to buy kids Bonine, but I can't find it now. Will I really need to give them 3 doses a day? Will it make them like zombies from being drowsy?
 
My pediatrician recommended kids Dramamine for my kids for our cruise. I was going to buy kids Bonine, but I can't find it now. Will I really need to give them 3 doses a day? Will it make them like zombies from being drowsy?

Do you think your kids are going to be sea sick? Do they have problems with any kind of motion sickness?

As you talked to the pediatrician and that's the recommendation, if you feel your kids will need it, it's your call.

:cutie:
 
We've never needed it on the ships but when we give it to our kids in the car they usually are out like a light. My wife uses Bonine and it works well for her on the ship without making her really drowsy.
 
My 5 year old has gotten sick on an air plane and on a few car rides. My nine year old and I both ended up throwing up in the same toilet going across the ocean to a dolphin excursion in Mexico a few years ago...
 

I had my girls take it on the plane to and from Hawaii. They did sleep on the way there, but it is like a 4 hour flight, it was their first flight ever(so there was no way in heck I was going to have that flight be the experiment for if they got motion sickness!) AND it departed at 7am, so we were up at 4am;-) On the return flight, they took it and remained awake the whole time.
If you are afraid of how they'll respond, just pick a day on the weekend and give them a dose and see what happens. Better they be at home and able to take a nap than on the ship and miss out on fun.
Also-they make less drowsy dramamine-that is what I take when I dive(I get sick QUICK on boats). Never had an issue.
ETA_dosage for my then 4 and 5 year olds were 1/2 tablet of the chewables
 
I talked to my kids pediatrician telling him I was worried about the kids being knocked out with Dramamine and he said it was fine to give them bonine. This was before our 1st cruise two years ago. My kids were ages 5, 9, and 13. It worked awesome. only had to take it once a day and kids had no side affects. But half way though the cruise I wondered if I was druging my kids for no reason and decided to stop giving it to them and they got sick right at dinner time. Not fun.... so now almost time for our second cruise and the kids will be taking Bonine everyday lol.

I say call your doctor and ask what He or She thinks about giving them Bonine. Then go with what ever is advised.:thumbsup2
 
I give my kids dramime. I usually give them the 24 hrs. We start them the night before the cruise and they take one every night before bed.
 
Did you do adult Bonine or kids version? I can't find the kids version anywhere

The kids version is no longer available. I have no idea why, and the pharmacist at Target didn't know either. I asked her whether it was okay to give my DD half an adult's Bonine, and she said not to do it as the active ingredient is different. Apparently the active ingredient in the adults' formula is not meant for kids. We have 5 Children's Bonine left from our last cruise, and I'm hoping that will get us through our 7 day cruise in March!
 
I just bought 2 boxes of kids' Bonine last week for our cruise next weekend. Check your local grocery stores. It's where I found it!
 
Adult dosage is 1-2 tablets..... my kids pediatrician said it was okay to give my 5 year old and older kids one tablet a day..... check with your own doctor though.
 
Bonine web sight says

Do not use for children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor

And my doctor approved.
 
And it worked well for your kids? I'm just worried that Dramamine 3 times a day will make my kids zombies.
 
I would take it with you but see if your kids really need it. We don't feel the ship movement at all unless its really choppy.
 
A fishing boat capt (not a Dr) once told me to take Dramamine the night before a trip because it stayed with you for a while and it helps you sleep well the night before. It has always worked for me and my kids.
 
My Sister in law took Dramamine for a cruise a few years back...the regular adult recommended dose. She slept for 30 hours and missed a day of the cruise. She has since cruised many times, never takes motion sickness medicine, and has never had sea sickness. The effect of the medicine was by far worse than anything she has experienced on sea.

I, personally, would be very cautious to give my children a drug for a problem they MAY have without knowing the possible effects of that medication.

Now if I was sailing through a hurricane, that would be different, but in good conditions the movement of the ship is not that bad. I want to add that I am not a good car passenger, getting motion sick very easily, nor can I ride on most amusement park rides without losing my lunch.
 
When we went the waters were calm... my kids do not get car sick or anything but the one day I did not give them Bonine they got sick. I am so happy I had the bonine so we could fully enjoy the rest of our vacation.... We did start the Bonine the day before the cruise.

Maybe your kids will need it maybe they won't. You can wait and see and have them possibly suffer being sea sick one night or give them one of the meds not knowing if they need it. Choice is yours and parents know best so go with what you feel :)
 
I, nor our Pediatrician are into holistic medicine, but we were all concerned with giving meds to our kids for something that may not even be an issue....so he recommended a great alternative...crystallized ginger! So, when it turned out that it was my hubbie who felt queezy and didn't want the meds, chewing on a bit of the candied ginger did the trick with no side effects. It is sold in the spice section of many grocers or at Whole Foods type stores.
 
Have you thought of something a little more natural like gingerale or ginger caplets? It works wonders without the drowsiness.
 


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