Using phenergen as a convenience

[misty]

I do not believe in giving medication to children other then for medical purposes. Full stop.
It does horrify me that people think it is ok to drug their child to sleep for non medical reasons.
If that makes me a horrible judgemental person, I can live with that.

[nothing2lose]

I think it depends on how you define medical reason.

I give my DD (10yrs) a 10mg tablet the night before her horseriding lesson because horseriding/horses are her reason for living at the moment yet she is allergic to something there. She also has to take claratyne, etc the morning of the lesson.

The only other time I gave it to her was when she was three for four or five nights when she was suffering some PTSD after witnessing some very distressing things and could not sleep. I dont regret it at all and would do the same again. It was just what she needed to relearn that surrendering to sleep was okay and that she was safe.

I totally agree that children should not be drugged for convenience. But I also wonder if medicines like phenergan/pain stop have actually saved the lives of some children whose parents had reached the end of their tether

[RhiChiChi]

I have never considered to give phenergan to my DD, which is more b/c I have heard it is a 'bad' drug. I never knew it was given to people for severe allergies - just goes to show how uneducated I am on the drug and that the 'scare' tactics was what I have based my decision not consider using the drug. (not that I have needed to consider it). For me personally, I would not use it as a sedative unless absolutely necessary (ie: DD going to hospital for a proceedure and she is freaking out about it) and I would only administer it under medical supervision. If it is to adjust a sleep pattern I personally would try other avenues first.

I remember my boss did use it on his two kids when they were about 3 & 5 (I think) yo when flying over to the states to help them sleep & it made them hyper, not sedate them.

[misty]

I think it depends on how you define medical reason.

I give my DD (10yrs) a 10mg tablet the night before her horseriding lesson because horseriding/horses are her reason for living at the moment yet she is allergic to something there. She also has to take claratyne, etc the morning of the lesson.

The only other time I gave it to her was when she was three for four or five nights when she was suffering some PTSD after witnessing some very distressing things and could not sleep. I dont regret it at all and would do the same again. It was just what she needed to relearn that surrendering to sleep was okay and that she was safe.

The first situation you describe is definitely a medical situation. It is an allergy, and it is an allergy medication.
The second situation is a bit more of a grey area, but I still believe it falls under the category of medical situation and I would trust that as her parent you were medicating for her mental health.

[nothing2lose]

Definitely for her mental health Misty.

I cant remember the last time I went out partying!!! It was years before DD was born!

Sorry, I wasnt clear but the first line of my post was sort of separate to the rest. It was commenting on some of the previous posts. I'm on my ipad and sometimes take shortcuts with my writing while on here!

[jackrose]

I totally agree that children should not be drugged for convenience. But I also wonder if medicines like phenergan/pain stop have actually saved the lives of some children whose parents had reached the end of their tether

I have been thinking this too while reading some responses. After the slippery slope I found myself on when sleep deprived for an extended period (much like you described Artechim and Fabfiona) I was in a really bad way and got pretty scared at the way I was responding to my children and the things I was doing to survive that I would never have considered acceptable parenting in a more sane time. Suffice to say, I can see how easily things can get dangerous when looking after small children without adequate sleep or support. Thankfully, I did manage to get help before things got completely out of control, but things could have.

I never thought of using a drug to help the kids sleep patterns, mostly because I was too delirious to come up with any solutions. In hindsight, something like phenergan might have been big help a lot earlier and may have saved my family from a lot of crappy stuff around those dark days. I don't think I could judge another person in their choices even if I don't agree in principle.

[misty]

I totally agree that children should not be drugged for convenience. But I also wonder if medicines like phenergan/pain stop have actually saved the lives of some children whose parents had reached the end of their tether

I do NOT think that is a validarguement for its use. Otherwise it is also an arguement for some forms of classic abuse or neglect - such as locking up or restraining children, for short and extended periods of time.

[nothing2lose]

I do NOT think that is a validarguement for its use. Otherwise it is also an arguement for some forms of classic abuse or neglect - such as locking up or restraining children, for short and extended periods of time.

I dont know whether it's a valid argument for its use either?? But I suspect it has saved some children from serious harm or even death....

I would rather a child be drugged than seriously hurt.

[Maruschke]

Throughout the thread it seems people classify sleep as a "convenience". Come on guys... don't you remember those looooong nights of broken sleep that went on month after month after month? And you still have to function, SAFELY, during the day? Drive a car, make decision, care for a child?!?! Sleep, when it is broken to that extreme (and a lot of us have been there) is NOT a convenience. It is a necessity. If you have reached the end of your rope and you did what you had to do in order to get a few precious seconds, then well done for being a great mum. If you weren't at the end of your rope and you did it because you were too lazy to put the hard work in, that's a different story, but I doubt any of the mums here are in that category. Sometimes operating on no sleep is more dangerous than the risks we take to have sleep.

[BellyBelly]

My mum admitted she gave something like this to me when I was little, because I was a nocturnal baby lol. I know its not what the OP posted but I thought it was funny at the time - they used to do it way back then too I couldn't bring myself to do it for sanity let alone convenience and actually didn't even think of it - and I had a VERY clingy, minimalist sleeping babe who would do her sleep cycle during the day and that was it, very unsettled. A pretty absent father and on my own for pretty much most of it, ended up in a M&B unit for two weeks, lost lots of weight because I barely ate. But never once gave her anything to 'make' her sleep. I considered it with my second when he had a horrible time overnight with teething, he'd cry and arch his back for hours on end, but he never took ANY medicine - was the best zip lock baby you've seen lol.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i find it uncomfortbale just thinking about giving a child medicine to make them sleep so that you can sleep. it just doesnt sit right with me.

also, if we are saying that it is ok to do this if you are otherwise a great mother who has done everything well and proper and is at the end of her rope due to lack of sleep then isnt it doesnt really make sense seeing as though you cant give phenergan to a child under 2 and usually by the time they are 2 they usually sleep alot more than they did as newborns or within the first year.

i dont know, i dont mean to be judgemental.. i am really not a judgemental person generally but there is something in this that makes me uncomfortable. sorry.

[BellyBelly]

I don't think that makes you judgmental. I feel uncomfortable with the idea too. We all have to make our own decisions and choices as parents, and we're responsible for those, thats what we should focus on. But personally for me, I would feel like I am doing the wrong thing by my baby. And thats not saying others are, because its just how I feel, the belief I have for myself. I've also heard parents talk about how they leave their babies to sleep in their beds while they pick up their children from kinder. They are fine with that. I am not. But they are good people and I would never make judgmental comments to them.

[Starfish]

usually by the time they are 2 they usually sleep alot more than they did as newborns or within the first year.

I don't think this is true - some children certainly sleep more at 2 than as babies, but I wouldn't think it's the majority.
Everyone makes the best decision for them and their family, and what is seen as a "convenience" by some may be seen as more important than that by others. I don't think it's fair to judge people whom we know nothing about. Sometimes children need something to calm or sedate them and I think it's good that there are medicines available for this (with instructions for safe doses).

Personally I only use medication as a last resort for anything. I offered phenergan to DD when we flew to the US but she wouldn't have a bar of it, so I didn't force the issue. She's never had it, but I still have the bottle in case we ever need it for anything.