Using OTC to make your child sleep

Re: Using OTC to make your child sleep

• acppa

  January 2011

  Not sure what kind of article you are looking for.  I'd look into your state laws and definately call Child Protective Services to inquire about the situation (when does daily giving of medicine become abusing medicine?).  Does the bottle say it can be given daily for an extended period of time?   

  Also call the Dr and inquire about the long term effects of Benadryl usage and see if his symptoms match up with a reaction.  I imagine that a 5 year old calling something his "sleepy medicine" will catch the attention of a Dr.  Take him there ASAP.

   Do you have part custody of this child?

   

  https://www.ehow.com/about_5095177_longterm-side-effects-benadryl.html 

  
  

  
  Aiden 10.17.07 Emma 07.15.10
  

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• thisdollistaken

  January 2011

  She has residential custody and he has visting custody? In Ohio shared parenting = joint custody. (which they have) The mother does not aknowledge this though. She tries to tell him he has no rights on anything. The county she lives in is known for being a tough county for the father to have a say in anything even if its in the papers:(

  I would understand more if he was a drunk, drug addicted dead beat but hes an honest loving non paymeny missing father.

  I cant wait until we get him into our Dr. I have a feeling its going to be alot of appts. but eventully I think we will get evidence that he is not allergic/ lactose intol. and that it may have something to do with the long term dosing of medicine.

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• Sharon&Paul member

  January 2011

  I work as a PA in adolescent medicine, so not quite 5 years old. Many of our kids take Benadryl as prescribed by the psychiatrist to sleep. This is a common practice. Some providers shy away from it because of the possibility of urinary retention and building a tolerance to the medication. It does not sound like abuse to me. I can not think of how it may be associated with the vomiting, but anything is possible. Benadryl is a fairly safe drug, even when used in children. People with allergies take it on a daily basis for years.

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• STP2006

  January 2011

  It's a slightly different bent than every night use, but I thought this article about it was really great:

   

  https://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/if-it-were-my-child-no-benadryl-for-the-plane/
  

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• hispiggy

  February 2011

  I am a pharmacist and the main side effects from continued use of Benadryl include urinary retention, dry mouth, dry eyes, constipation, and dizziness (and of course drowsiness). Also, more severe and rare side effects include heart arrythmias and allergic reactions. Also, children in particular are prone to paradoxical reactions, meaning it can make the child hyperactive rather than sleepy and this can be unpredictable amoung different children. However, nausea and vomiting are side effects of Benadryl, but I would not say this would be common clinically. In fact Benadryl can be used to prevent motion sickness. One of the labled indications for Benadryl use is to induce mild nighttime sedation in children. There are no warnings associated with Benadryl regarding daily use. It is generally not a prefered drug in the elderly due to the dizziness it can cause and the inherit risk of falls. So the better question, I think, regarding your situation is how MUCH Benadryl is the child getting? Is it a usual dose or a high dose? How often are they getting it? How long has this being going on? I am not sure the vomiting is from a Benadryl OD, but there may be an issue there if the medication is being used at excessive doses or if it causes other side effects (falls, etc.) that may injure the child. As far using it too frequently, that will be difficult to prove what exactly "too frequently" is for the child with this drug. In my book, that would be when the child is having side effects affecting his safety, like falls.

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