Ok this is a question that's come up around here

[paigevz]

Each of our pediatricians has told us to give Benadryl to my daughter when she didn't sleep.

No, it's not an excuse for not caring for your child. Yes, it does help on the occasion when a child is not sleping.

Two things about this medicine. One: the user builds tolerance to the drug, so it loses its effectiveness after repeated use.

The second thing is that the rebound effect from this drug can be dreadful and makes a child far more hyper than the 4-6 hours of sleep you'll get from a child taking the medicine.

Yes, my son had the rebound effect once, and when I mentioned it to the dr., he says, "Of course.......", like I should have known that! My son has ADHD, and has only started sleeping more than 5 hours a night since he turned 10 (now goes to bed at 10, but I suspect it's usually midnight when he falls asleep........up at 6:30). You folks have my utmost sympathy. I would consider that an appropriate use!

 

[Colleen456]

The red food dye, not the drug itself is what usually makes kids hyper instead of sleepy from taking bendryl.

We have the Benadryl dye free so maybe that's why she's never gone the other way! I wasn't aware of the red dye issues, I bought it because I didn't want it to stain her nice pajamas

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No--I do not believe in using medications for other than their intended purpose.

 

[Hootiss]

I have given dd Tylenol pm before. She suffers awful leg cramps ( growing pains). I wish my mom gave it to me when I was younger, as I suffered growing pains. There is nothing worse than your child walking into your room late at night in tears because her legs hurt so bad.

 

[Mermaid02]

Per my very well respected pediatrician- yes, it's okay once in a while. I'd rather give them a Benadryl (to sleep on a plane for instance) than a tranquilizer. Unfortunately it does NOT make my son drowsy.... nothing does.

 

[RachelEllen]

We have the Benadryl dye free so maybe that's why she's never gone the other way! I wasn't aware of the red dye issues, I bought it because I didn't want it to stain her nice pajamas

It's actually the benedryl, not the red dye. Even the IV form sometimes has that effect.

It's kind of a glass of wine. It will make most people a little calm and a little sleepy. But some people just get disinhibited. So some kids are just 'bad drunks' on Benedryl

 

[BrinxFam]

I won't do it only because one dd has halucinations when she takes it and the other gets hpyed up.
On the other hand our family doctor did tell me I can give it to DH when he needs a good nights sleep!

 

[Jessd]

I have only used it once when we went to Florida last year. When I asked my doctor about flying with her, he said to give her a little 15 minutes before we boarded. It made her sleepy and she slept on the plane. I plan on using it again when we go in December.

I dont' think there is a problem with it if used once in a great while, but I think it would be a problem if you used it all the time to control your kids.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I don't think an accurate dose on very rare occasions is such a bad thing. I know lots of docs say it is ok to give your little one a dose of Benedryl before a flight. I certainly wouldn't do it on a regular basis and I wouldn't up the dosage to increase the effects.

Would I use it as a behavior management tool? No.

I know a mom who was giving her child Benedryl before bed so he wouldn't know her boyfriend was coming over every night. Well, she said it was Benedryl. For all I know it may have been something stronger. In those circumstances it was WRONG.

 

[VSL]

No--I do not believe in using medications for other than their intended purpose.

Especially those which can cause drowsiness. Wouldn't be too great if they fell asleep and then there was some emergency (fire, plane/train/car accident, etc.) where a person (not just a child) would really need to be alert (of course, if the medication is required then this would just have to be dealt with, but if it's not necessary, why take the risk?).

No flames here though - it's not up to me to tell you how to raise your children (and knowing my luck I'll find myself wanting to give it to my future kids!).

 

[nliedel]

benedryl wires my kids like 8 cups of coffee! I would hesitate to give it to them for an allergy it's so bad. So no. We never medicate without a serious need.

 

[ReggieB]

Whatever works for you I guess. I try to avoid medications wherever possible, so the idea doesn't really appeal at all. Plus I don't think it would help. DS is another that suffers from the side effects, it makes him hyper and he usually sleeps really badly. We actually can't give him any liquid medications anymore because they always make him vomit, it's probably the dyes or flavorings. We give him chewables now, which don't seem to make him sick. Benadryl now do a chewable/melt away which didn't see to make him too hyper...but that could have just been a fluke!