Sedatives for Toddlers, is this real?

[Mena1]

Apparently you can get a mild sedative for toddlers to help them sleep on long haul flights, is this real? We are off to South Africa in April and after the disastrous flight to Ireland at christmas I am so nervous about flying with LO. Has anyone heard of this or does anyone have any advice to help them sleep on long haul flights? any tips are much appreciated.

it's probably frowned upon but if I were to be on a long haul flight I'd want all toddlers sedated.

hahahaha very true. Yeah it does seem to be frowned upon. its an overnight flight so i'm hoping it wont disrupt LO or other passengers too much but would be nice if he fell asleep as he is having his bottle.

There was a thread on here recently about using anti histamine to sedate kids on a long flight. Bet you could find it with a quick search.

Or you could do what a mum did on a long-haul I was on a few years ago and offer a big bag of earplugs to everyone in the surrounding five rows

I have had friends who were medical professionals advise me that a spoonful of Piriton might be of use to us when taking 2yr old DD long haul.

It's not the worst idea in the world. Do a test-run beforehand though as Piriton sends my 2yo wall-climbing bonkers which probably isn't the look you're going for.

MediSed works wonders for our DD's!
We don't use it as a sedative but its really good for when they are ill with a cold - its meant to 'dry' all the mucus out; and when we give it before bed, they will sleep the whole night through without any coughing or not being able to breathe

I think medised isn't supposed to be given to kids under 6 now. why i don't know - it was fine when my dd1 was a baby but not anymore apparently.

i would always have a chat with your pharmacist or doctor first tbh and then give it a try before you fly. you dont want to give something that you find they are allergic to or it sends them bonkers/hyper on the flight. good luck

I second the idea of doing a test run beforehand. I once knew a family who flew long haul with two under twos, both on adults laps - they "sedated" the older one with phenergan and she went completely loopy, it had totally the opposite effect.

I wouldn't try anything 'new'.......an overnight flight should be easy as they should sleep.
Make sure they have their own seat, Virgin and BA do toddler seats which are like a car seat.
Have a bag of wrapped up presents, simple things like comic, book, lollipop, game etc that they can open every 20mins etc.
DVD player, PJ's and ask crew to warm a cup of milk etc.

LOL, when DC1 and 2 were young (now 18 and 16) everyone raved about Phenergan, think it was for travel sickness but knocked the little darlings out. Not sure they still do it though but whatever you do, as others have said, field test it first.

Would second Sockspence's suggestion that you do a trial run if you're planning on using Piriton as when i gave it to my DD for hayfever, it gave her terrible diarrhea (not what you need on a long flight).

I've never felt the need to use sedatives on my DCs but would like to add that i have found them to be easier to entertain on a long flight (with seat back entertainment systems) than on a short flight.

I might change my mind after a 11 hour daytime flight this Easter!!!

thanks everyone, i will def do a trial run and see how it goes. DS was a dream first time around when he was 4.5 months old and slept the entire way. hopefully this flight will be the same. fingers crossed.

Do do a test run.
I was that mother chasing a 14 month old around the plane after doctor prescribed sedation.

uuummm, how about just getting on with it and not drugging your child?

I have done longhaul many times with DS and have never drugged him just so it is easier for me.

Books, an ipad, a couple of wrapped gifts and keeping their attention works better than drugs.

We gave our oldest phenergan for every long haul flight he has been on (last one he was ?12?) he suffered horribly from jet lag and it messed with his digestion and made him miserable for days. A phenergan on the flight and one the first night made a world of difference. Our G.P. in England was the first one to suggest it and our paediatrician here has prescribed it on other flights.

Oh and as for advice, buy a seat if you can, Mine always slept better and were less squirmy in their own car seats on the plane, plus if they drift off in your arms you aren't holding them for four hours.

Dr prescribed phenergan when DD2 was 2. It worked wonderfully on the way out but she spit it all over us in the airport on the way back so didn't have the same effect lol!

I tried it once, think it was when I was flying alone with 4 DC, including toddler, and I had a broken arm & swine flu.

Didn't work, that's the part I remember for sure, child bouncing around like I'd given him amphetamines!

Leave the kid unmedicated and sedate yourself, that's what I'd do

I forgot to add that DD2 is now nearly 12 so I would presume prescribing it is probably not the done thing any more!

Oh just get on with it. Drugged children and wrapped presents every 20 minutes??! Ffs. If you're not capable of taking your children on holiday then perhaps you should stay at home.

Er....no. Why would you?!