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Original poster

Phenergan!!!!

17 replies

Kylesmummy123 · 10/09/2013 11:35

Hi there I'm a mum to beautiful children one who is diagnosed with adhd.....my oldest is 10, 8, 3 and 10 months only 1 was a good sleeper until we had our youngest Kyle...Kyle is an awful sleeper wakes between 6 and 15 times a night for no reason!! It's a big strain on our life and we have tried everything controlled crying and much more...they've offered him phenergen for a 2 week try but I've noticed lots of mums saying they would never use it because of its link with SIDS now I'm just confused scared and don't know what to do........advice welcome cx

OP posts:
Rooners · 10/09/2013 11:40

Hiya Smile

First off it isn't for no reason that he is waking. There's a reason however tenuous - maybe he is teething, maybe he is hungry, maybe he just sense you are not there and wants to be near to you.

Finding the reason and responding to it is a better answer than giving him drugs he doesn't need.

I haven't heard of anyone giving a baby phenergan. If there is a risk associated with it I am not surprised - it is an antihistamine and therefore makes you sleep more deeply.

Babies who sleep more deeply are less able to wake themselves should they forget to breathe (not as odd as it sounds - mine has sleep apnoea, it is very common and means that occasionally he will just stop breathing very briefly and so, if he were to be sedated, he would probably not start again.

It could even be that he is waking because of some kind of problem with his breathing - babies often wake due to apnoea. You wouldn't know it had happened, just that he was now awake.

Please don't medicate. CC at less than a year old is also not recommended. Babies do wake frequently, often, and it is not a problem, it is just what they do.

Sorry you are feeling so rubbish. But please don't give him any sort of medication to make him sleep.

Original poster
Kylesmummy123 · 10/09/2013 11:47

It's being prescribed by a peadeatrition I'm not just willingly giving it to him.....we have tried everything even had him in bed with us had health visitors helping and even they are list as to what I could be.....he's been like it since 5 weeks old so not just teething etc he's been treated for reflux and othe possible reason but there is no difference

OP posts:
Rooners · 10/09/2013 11:50

Well I agree with you it's best not to take it. Especially if no one knows the cause of his sleeping issues. (which don't sound all that abnormal to me? Mine is 8mo and still wakes many times some nights.)

I would actually suggest getting a sleep study done, if you can. They can watch him as he sleeps and monitor his breathing and O2 levels - it would flag up if he is being woken by stopping breathing.
I am surprised they have not yet sought to rule this out.

honey86 · 11/09/2013 20:13

if a paediatrician has prescribed it for this problem then give it. if it posed much risk to ds it wudnt be prescribed. phenergan elixir is a liquid version kids can have as opposed to usual adult tablets. im sure itll be ok if a professional recommends it for that specific issue. my sons autistic n needed phenergan (albeit very occasionally) cos melatonin didnt work, and it worked a treat. hes perfectly fine sleeps well now n hasnt needed meds for a long time now. x

Rooners · 11/09/2013 20:15

I think that's fine if you know what the problem is but if you don't, then I would be wary of giving something with a known risk attached to it.

If the baby is waking himself up due to apnoea then that is his body's defence against stopping breathing.

It would be very dangerous to give phenergan in these circumstances imo. I'm not a doctor but it really worries me.

Rooners · 11/09/2013 20:18

Please read this

It explains how this can be a symptom of sleep apnoea and what can be done about it. Not the best link but if you even suspect it then please don't give him a sedative.

Rooners · 11/09/2013 20:23

and this:

One THEORY about SIDS is that all babies have respiratory pauses during sleep, which can last up to 15-20 seconds. This appears to be normal. The question arises how babies 'rescue' themselves from these breathing pauses. One hypothesis is that waking up, or arousal from sleep, is an important defense mechanism we all have to protect us from potentially dangerous situations during sleep. The THEORY would suggest that babies have many breathing pauses. However, if they do not arouse in response to one of them, they might not be able to get out of the apnea, and this could cause death.

from here

Rooners · 11/09/2013 20:25

Risks of promethazine which is phenergan's proper name.

It's not indicated for children under 2.

Cookiepants · 11/09/2013 20:33

Hi, not much to add. My mum did a trial of phenergan with me when I was a toddler ( way back in the day - 30 years old now). She said it turned me from a lovely little girl who just didn't sleep, to a horrid little sod that did.

Sleep problems are soul destroying, could you have a night owl on your hands?

Original poster
Kylesmummy123 · 11/09/2013 21:10

I'm starting to think that see he gets very tired but fight and fight he can power nap for 10 mins then boom he's back with a vengeance! Everyone says he just needs to be with me but that's def not the case as I've had him in bed with me and its the same routine he's started on a very small dose so hopefully it will help him shut off....my lo is on a baby breathing moniter may so that gives me some peace of mind x

OP posts:
Crumbledwalnuts · 11/09/2013 21:12

how about cranial osteopathy?

Original poster
Kylesmummy123 · 11/09/2013 21:17

Never heard of it

OP posts:
Crumbledwalnuts · 11/09/2013 21:22

mother's experience, Daily Mail

bexincornwall · 13/09/2013 19:28

Hi, sorry to hear about your lack of sleep - I have every sympathy. I thought my first ds now 9 was bad, waking several times a night until he was 2 1/2 (now a brilliant sleeper, 12 hours straight through, just grew out of it). However my second ds who will be 4 in October basically woke up on average 20 times a night for at least the first 18 months, then more like 10/15 times a night for the next year or so then it has reduced to 3/5 times a night now.

We tried everything. Every sleep book, paediatricians, we were prescribed phenergan, some kind of melanin thing & allsorts. However during the most insane time (I think not sleeping for a year or so for more than 20 minutes a time would test most peoples sanity) I noticed that he would stop breathing for between 5-10 seconds at a time then shock himself awake with a big breath. I waited until my appointment with a specialist to ask about the phenergan - they said that although to 'officially' have sleep apnoa (central sleep apnea where the brain forgets to tell you to breathe rather than obstructive where there is a physical issue) he would have to stop breathing for 15 seconds or more. However advised me away from the phenergan.

I didn't use it. I subsequently discovered that in addition to the 'almost' sleep apnea he has a genetic disorder where the enamel on his teeth was not properly formed so he had severe dental issues & will have been in pain which was waking him (not relevant to you I'm sure - just an example of me having known that perhaps there was more to it & exploring that rather than obscuring it!).

Good luck & I hope you find a solution. Cranial definitely worth a shot if you can afford it - I would do it for all of us if I could!

bexincornwall · 13/09/2013 19:29

Melatonin, sorry not melanin - that's something to do with tanning!!

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