Drugging babies to fly..

[Katiekola]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21977785

Um, No I don't think they should. I just brought my LO accross the world to visit his grandparents and was on my own. I am not expecting a medal for this as it was my choice and I love being with him anyway but I like to think I had a bit more creativity in ensuring that the experience was interesting for him and worked very hard to keep us both sane without resorting to drugging!!

 

[sequeena]

Well done but I don't think you should automatically condemn those who do. I have never flown but I imagine some people's children do not take well to it at all and then it becomes a stressful experience for everyone - you, other passengers, staff but especially the child. Maybe in those situations giving some calpol or whatever is the best thing to do.

One size doesn't fit all and we need to remember this. What may be easy for us may be a nightmare for someone who has a high needs child, special needs child, multiples etc.

 

[babydust1990]

I'm not gonna say I wouldn't because if I've learnt anything since becoming a parents its never to say never. But I'd like to think I'd be able to pull enough tricks out of the bag to keep him occupied... I mean he's pretty content with a kit kat wrapper most days after all

 

[Katiekola]

Very true, one size does not fit all and yes it would be difficult in many situations but I don't think a child who doesn't have a cough or allergies should be given medication specifically formulated for that... I have been tempted to use a dose of calpol though but would feel too guilty, personally!

From the article..."Parents who medicate their babies and toddlers with allergy or cough medicine on long flights say it helps the children sleep"

 

[kassiaethne]

I am 50/50 on this subject. As a passenger not a mother yet, I do expect a certain amount of noise and such when flying because of kids (and have bose headphones just for it) but when kids are kicking and pulling your seat ( i have long hair and it can get pulled and such when they reach between the seats too) and screaming and all around bored and fussy I'd kill for their parents to give em a bit of benadryl.

It is hell for 300+ people to have their ears ringing from a child for a long flight. But I'd hope it would be used as a last resort. And I'd prefer to have a parent be prepaired for the 5-12 hour flights and bring things to amuse the kids during that time.

But if there is nothing else that will help you with your child, plz drug em or dont fly till they are old enough to understand flight behavior.

 

[Saki]

I dont wish to condemn anyone but i am horrified at the thought. I agree with the phrase 'abuse of parental power' in the article. This is quite simply missue of medication for convienience and it saddens me.
I am due to take an 11hr flight with my son in a month or so and am quite anxious about it (for his and my sakes not for other travellers if im honest) and hope i will be able to soothe him myself and dont believe i will ever want to sedate my child especially without medical supervision.

 

[sequeena]

I know that calpol or calbuprofen definitely helps my son sleep. I've never given it for that reason but its one of the side effects.

A year ago I'd have been in the automatic 'no way Jose' camp but having a live wire toddler and being a mum for longer (not saying I'm better just been a mum for longer) has made me think about all sides of the story not just my initial reaction.

I wonder how children cope during take off and landing. Do their ears pop? How about turbulence, travel sickness etc.

 

[fieryphoenix]

I've taken benadryl to help myself sleep, I'm not sure if I would give that to a child or not... I guess I'd have to be in the situation first

 

[lizzywiz]

I have never done it and don't plan on it, but like the ^pp^, never say never. Having a screaming baby at the store is bad enough- I can't imagine what it is like when you are confined to a plane with 100 other people glaring at you.
I guess I can safely say that I would never dose her as a preemptive strike, but if I have tried everything and nothing is calming her down? maybe.
That's assuming I have a baby safe medicine that I have tried before. I think benadryl is only safe for 2+ and I don't know if there is one for babies 2 and under. I wouldn't guesstimate a dose, that's for sure!

 

[Katiekola]

I wonder how children cope during take off and landing. Do their ears pop? How about turbulence, travel sickness etc.

Yup, that would have been my reasoning if I had given my LO calpol before the flight (definitly NOT benedryl of allergy meds) as I guess it would lessen the effects of ear popping etc In the kind of way I may have once taken a couple of paractamol before a leg wax!

 

[chickenlegs]

I haven't flown with Billy. Neither do I intend to in the near future. But having spent an hour with him in the waiting room, waiting for his 1 year injections this afternoon I am never going to have an opinion on parents who try to calm their children when they are surrounded by tired, touchy adults in a VERY confined space for many hours. I say parents do what they deem necessary. Doesn't mean I have to agree, but then again I'm not in their position right now.

 

[Katiekola]

Having a screaming baby at the store is bad enough- I can't imagine what it is like when you are confined to a plane with 100 other people glaring at you.

I always thought this would embarress me but you know what I think now, screw everyone else!! I know that sounds harsh but really, this has happened to me and its like no one else exists when my baby cries. I am probably a really annoying mother on a plane, always walking him around and finding people to coo over him! He was awake a lot of the time, other Mums must have had very sleepy babies but after reading this I am wondering if they had been given a helping hand. It does genuinely make me a bit sad tbh

 

[sequeena]

don't blame you leg waxing is painful!

I've no plans to ever fly but for those who have are you allowed to walk around other than just go to the loo? For a smaller baby I suppose it would be easier but my son will not sit for longer than half an hour in the pram I can't imagine hours on a plane.

If I were to fly I would make sure I had toys, books, drinks, snacks, maybe a portable DVD player and anything else I could think of to keep my son entertained but he does have a short attention span at the moment

 

[Katiekola]

yes, on longhaul flights it is encouraged to walk around to 'stretch the legs' although I did get told off for putting him on his playmat in the vestibule area. That was my desperate measure I guess..

 

[fieryphoenix]

They didn't appreciate that eh?

 

[Katiekola]

They didn't appreciate that eh?

Ha! That or his musical phone toy on loop!

 

[lozzy21]

Giving a child paracetamol for potential ear pain is totaly different to giving a child allergy medication to make them sleep. Im past the baby stage and well into the toddler years and there is no way i would give a medication for other than its propper purpose.

 

[readytotry]

If it were prescribed by the dr and stopped my child becoming distressed then I suppose I probably would. I wouldn't misuse medicines though.

 

[bumpbear]

I hate giving my daughter medication when she needs it. theres no chance id give it to her for convenience. and id do my utmost to keep her occupied on a flight. We've been on a few flights with her and she's generally been okay- sleeps through if its a night flight and is quite chilled out with me and her dad entertaining her whilst she's awake.

If there were any passengers annoyed by my child's behaviour, I'd recommend they take some drugs to knock themselves out, or better still, hire a private jet so they didn't have to deal with normal behaviour.

Basically, other people can feck off.

 

[Randianne]

I'm going to be the bad guy here and admit we did it. On our flight to my MILs, my LO did fine. It hurt her ears for a little bit and she fussed, but other then that it was no big deal. We didn't give her anything because we didn't need to.

However, coming back was a different story. She was terrified, crying, shaking, clutching my clothes and burying her head in my chest. We had anticipated this because she has had problems with anxiety and being overstimulated in the past, and its usually at its worst after being around strangers. The only way to resolve it was to remove her from the situation. Obviously it's not an option on a plane. Our doctor was fine with us giving it to her for anxiety and figured the dose for us.

I don't feel bad about it. Doctors and hospitals use Benadryl for anxiety. It's only sold to the public as allergy medication, but I don't see a problem with using it for anxiety on a doctor's order. People take anxiety medication for flying every day. Just like I have to determine if she needs Tylenol for teething, I have to decide if she needs Benadryl for anxiety. It wasn't for the other passengers' sake. It was to calm her down. She screamed for the first twenty minutes of the flight anyway. That's the one and only time we've used it.