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I've just done some googling and I've found that its not recommended for children under 2. I am taking DD 16 months on a 5 hour flight and I'm really stressed about it. I have no idea how she's going to cope & I'd really like to have a sedation option up my sleeve just in case she screams the whole way there. DH is staying at home.
Would you give Phenergen to a child under 2 years? What else do you recommend? I'm a bit desperate....
Why don't you speak to a chemist and see what they say.
I would be pretty careful - that stuff has the opposite effect on my daughter eeeeks!
Yeah, I had a chemist refuse to sell it to me, even though it was for allergies. She gave me claratyne instead.
What about panadol or nurofen?
Oooohhh....thnaks Lulu! That could have us both screaming the whole way there! I will stop & talk to a chemist. I'm not really comfortable with the whole drugging by child thing, but needs must...:
Thanks for your help!
Personally, I'd be looking at some Brauer's Calm to use instead of phenergan - I can take a single 25mg tablet and it knocks me out cold for hours and hours so I am hesitant to give it to my own kids. Plus she might surprise you and be OK on the flight, take plenty of her favourite items on board with you to help keep her amused or try to get an overnight flight?
I wouldn't, as it can supress respiration or something. And yeah, it can have the opposite effect - My sister, 2 years old, ballistic on a flight to the UK :o
Are you still breastfeeding? You might find that's the best thing. We took DS to NZ when he was 20 months (so bit older) and I was really worried, but he was actually great on the plane! The only time he went a bit feral was when we had an evening flight and he missed bedtime. (and even then he just kept insisting on changing seasts and putting his seatbelt on andn off, on and off....)
Make sure you have snacks, books, toys and be willing to walk the aisles. Will they have tvs on the plane?
Hope you have a great trip
we used phenergen when DD1 was burned for the itching during healing. As a benefit it did make her drowzy but it had the opposite effect on her cousin. Like a PP said, Brauers calm would be good and keeping him really busy with toys, food etc.
GL
I'm in the UK at the moment and DH spoke to the pharmacist before we left because I was travelling alone with DD. He said that although the bottle said not for under 2's he knew plenty of people who'd given it to younger children and to just give a half dose.
I was very very hesitant but did give her a quarter dose at home to see how it went - luckily it made her sleepy not hyper!
On the flight I initially gave DD Brauers but it had no effect. She wasn't crying all the time, but she still wouldn't sleep. 11 hours into the 14 hour flight I caved and gave her a very small dose of phenergen but it didn't actually have effect until the start of the next flight 4 hours later - then she slept the whole flight! I didn't really like giving it to her but it got to the point where she desperately wanted to sleep but couldn't seem to switch off in that environment. I don't feel great about having given it to her but I am glad she was able to get some sleep in the end.
Still not sure what the plan is for the homebound flight yet!
Good luck with it, whatever you decide - I know tonnes of babies who have done really well on flights, just not mine!
My youngest has some pretty stunning allergies and we were told to get this from the chemist for them when we ended up with a welted lobster. We couldnt get it without a prescription because our child was under two at the time. You will find almost all pharmacies are like that now. And like many others it was anything BUT sedentary. I wouldnt recommend it unless you have to for medical reasons. JMO.
If you're using it as a sedative, then it has to be given in larger doses or it has a paradoxical effect - hence some of you saying it had the opposite effect and making the kids go nutso.
I'd speak to a pharmacist or even better, your GP who might be able to offer some other solution. But I also know of people who've given it to kids younger than 2 but again, I'd check with the Dr for doses.
Sue xx
That's interesting to know - I think I followed the instructions on the pack regarding "for sedation" but I was a bit paranoid about the whole thing so it's likely I gave a little less than it said.
It was bloody awful though, the poor child was climbing the walls.
Don't use it. Use an alternative if you can't breastfeed on the flight.
I took Polaramine with me, on the advice of a friend's mother who is a pharmacist and never used it. I was sure my on-land super active boy was going to be a nightmare on our 27 hour flight to Ireland when he was 17 months old and he was an absolute gem...unmedicated, just boobs, in the end :)
That is interesting - the dose was 5ml and I only gave 1ml - I wonder if that's why she didn't sleep for 4 hours after I gave it... poor bubba :-(
I think you will find she will be fine.
Charlotte has been on 4 hour flights both ways since she was 2 months old and loves it.
The staff are really good, and so long as you have something for them to suck on or chew on for take off and landing you will be fine.
Charlotte watches the little telley thing and does colouring, we take some story books and she has something to eat.
What time of day are you travelling?
I would avoid phenergen at all costs, and honestly, any sedative at all as they are simply unnecessary.
Some children do become "hyperactive" with phenergan despite being given it at "seadation levels". Phenergan does not have a sedative effect on all people (including adults).
Winter - a lot of pharmacists won't sell it if they know you are going to give it to a child under 2. It is true that it can suppress respiratory rates. I advise it's use with CAUTION in children under two. Have a chat to your GP about it, if they are happy for you to give it to DD on the flight, they can write you a prescription. Also chat to your pharmacist for some alternative options and trial them before you go to see if they work.
When my DS was 14 months we travelled to Europe. Like you, I didn't want to sedate him but I did want to have the option up my sleeve in case he was distressed during the long flights. He has renal problems and so I spoke to both his paed and his urologist. Both said that either Phenergan or Pain Stop (which contains Codiene) would be suitable, but to try them at home first in case there was any negative effect. Gave Phenergan to DS and my DD (3 at the time) and they both went BESERK. Soooo hyper! Didn't use that on the plane then... Was hesitant to use the Pain Stop and never actually bought any.
In the end the flights were ok. There were some difficult moments, such as when my DS was just about to fall asleep and had that final hurrah cry which lasted about 2 minutes. Until then, he had been quiet. As his mother, I knew I just had to hold him for that two minutes, let him cry and he would finally sleep. The bloke in front of me turned around and said "Would you shut that screaming kid up????" I was already exhausted from lack of sleep and entertaining DS, so I snapped back "Mate, I'm doing the very best I can, it's the first time in seven hours he has made any noise, and if you don't like it I suggest next time you charter a private jet. Now turn around, you're keeping my kid awake!!" He turned around and DS slept for the next 8 hours.... thank god!!!!
Anyway, I wouldn't sedate your DD without consulting your doctor, but honestly you should be fine on a five hour flight. Lots of entertainment as the PP's have suggested... and plenty of patience!!
I'ts totally up to you, but I think it's worth chancing it without the stuff. It is only 5 hours at the end of the day, the flight staff are WELL used to little ones and I'm sure they will help - she may even surprise you.
Sticker books rock btw.
I was so nervy about the whole phenergan thing that I chucked the bottle the next day because I couldn't relax giving it to her (then I watched her climb the walls anyway)
Hmmm... I think I will email our paediatrician before our return journey and get his take on it. I wasn't entirely comfortable with it before, now I'm extremely uncomfortable. Thanks for bringing this one up Winter :hug: