I have used it for my kids on trips to Mexico and it worked like a dream. Do test a few days before to make sure you don't get the hyper effect that kids can sometimes get. Benedryl and Unisom gel tabs are the exact same thing so it makes sense. My 3 year old daughter actually used it quite often until we discovered calcium/magnesium liquid because she's special needs and sometimes needs it to sleep at all at night.
Also be sure to bring your carseat because even if you didn't pay for a seat they usually will seat you next to an empty spot if you request it. It's amazing how much better babies do in carseats because they are used to it and are comfortable.
Happy Vacationing,
Jennifer
i have no problem with it-- i've tried it before and i'm a pediatric ICU nurse. just make sure you have the correct dosage (i forget what it is for small kids). also understand that it often has a paradoxical effect and can make your kid MORE wired.
best of luck!
I've done it. I'm not proud to admit it, but it worked wonders on both my (at the time) one and two year olds. An added benefit is that it helped with their congestion...at least it seemed to. They were calm and even slept a little. I would do it again. Just make sure to use the right dosage.
P.S. Benadryl makes some kids hyper, so make sure it's something your child can tolerate before trying it on a long flight.
My sister ALWAYS uses benadryl for her girls on flights. I also used it for my boys. I guess it helps with the ear popping thing because of the decongestant (I think). It also may make them sleep. The flight with my kids went great.
We brought a carseat for our little guy to use while we were renting a car on vacation. We carried it on and were able to use it even though we hadn't purchased a seat for him. It was a lifesaver because he is used to riding it in and knows he has to stay there as opposed to our laps where he can kind of come and go. It has to be a airline approved carseat - you can check on your carseat's tag. Good luck and don't worry - it will go better than you expect. I was so incredibly nervous when we stepped on the plane but it went fine.
I am not passing judgment at all. But I am warning you. If you're going to do this test it before you travel. My daughter gets so wired on Benadryl that it's almost like I've given her a pot of coffee.
My friends with older kids take it on overseas flights to help them sleep.
When I traveled with my daughter at that age I tried to schedule flights during her naptime if possible. I also found that flights earlier in the day are better that later. This still is true today for my four year old.
I always held my daughter on my lap, but it was heaven when she turned two and I had to buy her a flight. If you can afford a seat for your baby it will be a lot easier on you.
More advice than you asked for but we travel a lot so I've definitely been there done that.
Good luck.
Stacey
I have not had to do this since I haven't taken my son on any flights yet. I do however work with a doctor who recently took a trip with her one year old; she gave the child benadryl for during the flight. I guess if a doctor thought it was okay, I wouldn't feel too guilty doing it. It might be a rough experience for your son without it. You could always see how he does taking off without it and if he isn't doing so well, give him the benadryl at that point. If you do try to takeoff without it, I have heard that they need something to suck on like a pacifer or bottle or something to help with the altitude changes.
My son gets pretty jumpy too on flights so after he turned 6 mo we started buying him a seat and putting him in his car seat. Somehow the kids know that car seat = sit still. I agree with the other posts about trying to find a flight during nap time so he sleeps during most of the flight. Portable DVD's are also a lifesaver. Benadryl will probably make him drowsy but you should test on him ahead of time. However, if what you are worried about is his ears popping and painful takeoff and landing, I would suggest a decongestant such as infant dimetapp or infant tylenol cold (with decongestant. Again, test this medicine before your trip. My pediatrician warned me that some kids get hyper on certain meds. Goodluck!
I have never used Benadryl for travel, but we use it frequently because my oldest son (3) has a severe dairy allergy...he's used it since he was 1. Firstly, regular Benadryl does not contain a decongestant...it only contains an antihistamine which relieves things like sneezing and itchy, watery eyes..no decongestant. Secondly, it tends to make my son very, very hyper like other moms have mentioned. I have never had him fall asleep after giving him a dose of Benadryl. So...make sure you test it before you get on the plane, just to make sure you know how your son will react. Good luck :)
I have used Benadryl for travel. Our pediatrician okayed it! I used the correct dose at the correct intervals and it worked like a charm for us. The dye in benadryl can cause children to be hyper---that is the most typical culprit. If you are worried about they do have dye-free benadryl. The other trick I have is to help with the painful ear "popping" on take-off and landing. There is a ear drop that you can put in the child's ear and it will numb the ear so that they won't feel that pain. I've also used that and it worked great. We took our 18-month old to Hawaii, the flight was 12 hours and on the trip there and back she did great. The only thing that I mention is that the ear drops are kind of thick and gooey. They drain out of the ear. My daughter had long hair so it wasn't a big deal for us, her hair looked a little greasy but we got in at dinner time so we had dinner and took a bath that first night. No big deal. And the bonus for us with the benadryl---she was still sleepy that night on Hawaii time so she slept and was ready for to start the day on time the next day so we never had to deal with issues with the time difference. Again, this was our experience---I'm sure many others have different experiences and different advice. It is very child dependent. (one more note--if your child takes regular tylenol--the liquid kind but not dye-free--and they are fine, they probably will not have a hyper reaction to benadryl at least because of the dye.)