has your pedi prescribed benadryl?

[dixeedeluxe]

I feel like my niece has been getting a ton of benadryl (as prescribed by her pediatrician) for her colds.  She's 7 months old and has had it prescribed at least 3 times in her life.  My oldest is almost 3 and has had colds and has never had it prescribed.  And, does Benadryl even help colds? 

I need to stop thinking about this so someone told me thier pedi has done something similar, K?

[Deleted]

Benadryl dries them up. We've used this before, but OTC, for the boys.

Only when the nose gross starts interrupting their sleep b/c of breathing, though. We don't dose just b/c.

[jsillyfun]

That would make me kind of uncomfortable. I thought they were supposed to be a lot older to take Benadryl or only if they had a major allergic reaction. Just for a cold? I personally wouldn't do it and three times seems like a lot for a seven month old.

[mumegs]

Yes dr has told us to give her benadryl when she's had a cold/runny nose or cough that won't go away, it dries them up.

They have told us to give it to her at least twice and gave us the correct dosage to use, but not an actual prescription.

[lolaburns]

It dries them up. IDK I'm paranoid about medicines like that at such a young age, but what do I know? My pedi is actually sort of anti-medicine unless absolutely necessary. Anytime he has had the sniffles we were advised to use saline spray and a humidifier . He hasn't had a full blown cold, though so I don't know. I'm with you in the feeling it might be a lot for a youngin'.

[mumegs]

Although now that I think about it I'm sure she was at least 9 months old the first time. I remember she was just over 16 lbs and the nurse said she was almost too small to get it at all.

[rjamz]

Aug 27, 2013 10:08:24 GMT -5 lolaburns said:

It dries them up. IDK I'm paranoid about medicines like that at such a young age, but what do I know? My pedi is actually sort of anti-medicine unless absolutely necessary. Anytime he has had the sniffles we were advised to use saline spray and a humidifier . He hasn't had a full blown cold, though so I don't know. I'm with you in the feeling it might be a lot for a youngin'.

All of this. My pediatrician doesn't give meds unless absolutely necessary and all non med options have been tried.

I've also heard Benadryl has the opposite effect on some kids and makes them crazy hyper

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[TrudyCampbell]

My pedi has never prescribed anything at all and Violet has had a few pretty bad colds.

[Regina Philange]

The pedi told me to give Benadryl only when Lou had his reaction. Not for anything else.

[jaime183]

We were told to use Zyrtec for colds bc Benadryl shouldn't be used under a year? We only use Benadryl for allergic reactions from his food allergies
It makes him hyper

[thedahliharpa]

With H, since about 2, the pedi recs a benadryl at bed regimen as soon as we see the snot coming to help reduce the amount of gunk getting in her chest and ears.

[Deleted]

Ada had constant pretty bad colds from 3 months to 10 months and my pedi never prescribed anything. Just humidifier and saline drops. I thought Benadryl was for lie 2-3+ kids?

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2013 10:11:35 GMT -5 mumegs said:

Although now that I think about it I'm sure she was at least 9 months old the first time. I remember she was just over 16 lbs and the nurse said she was almost too small to get it at all.

Yeah the boys were 6-9 months old but about 20lbs at the time that they gave the okay.

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2013 10:52:43 GMT -5 thedahliharpa said:

With H, since about 2, the pedi recs a benadryl at bed regimen as soon as we see the snot coming to help reduce the amount of gunk getting in her chest and ears.

The flip side of this is Gabriel was on benadryl for a week for a reaction, got a cold during that, and it went right to his ears.

So I think sometimes "overuse" can backfire.  The before-bed regimen sounds perfect.

[creamsiclechica]

Ours did, when her ear infections were coming and coming and accompanied by nasal congestion that wouldn't dissipate with saline/humidifier. We were given a prescription and a dosage though. She was 10 months at the time.

ETA: It did not make my kid sleep, lol.

[dixeedeluxe]

Aug 27, 2013 13:59:10 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

Ours did, when her ear infections were coming and coming and accompanied by nasal congestion that wouldn't dissipate with saline/humidifier. We were given a prescription and a dosage though. She was 10 months at the time.

ETA: It did not make my kid sleep, lol.

She is on her 2nd ear infection in 2 months.  So, maybe that's contributing.

[creamsiclechica]

Aug 27, 2013 14:00:11 GMT -5 dixeedeluxe said:

Aug 27, 2013 13:59:10 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

Ours did, when her ear infections were coming and coming and accompanied by nasal congestion that wouldn't dissipate with saline/humidifier. We were given a prescription and a dosage though. She was 10 months at the time.

ETA: It did not make my kid sleep, lol.

She is on her 2nd ear infection in 2 months.  So, maybe that's contributing.

It could be.  It does help to dry up the nasal passages, and that's what they told us when they prescribed it.  A was like that, back to back ear infections, and I think they were doing it to try and prevent the tube situation.  I did clear it with my sister who went to pharmacy school and I asked rxbeth about it, because I was nervous.  Both gave me the okay.  So hopefully that will give you some peace of mind?  I don't think it's super common, but not dangerous.

[bigapple]

Aug 27, 2013 10:11:57 GMT -5 rjamz said:

I've also heard Benadryl has the opposite effect on some kids and makes them crazy hyper

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I gave Carter a dose once, and he made tweaking meth heads look like sloths.

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2013 15:12:40 GMT -5 bigapple said:

Aug 27, 2013 10:11:57 GMT -5 rjamz said:

I gave Carter a dose once, and he made tweaking meth heads look like sloths.

I'm sorry but that really did make me snort out with laughter.  Poor guy, and poor you!