Hot Topic (3/28): Medicating children to keep them quiet

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

This was reported last December by msnbc.msn.com:

 

"Some children showing up in emergency rooms with overdoses of cough or cold syrup may have been intentionally medicated to keep them quiet, doctors cautioned on Thursday." 

From time to time, you hear about parents administering Benadryl or something similar to keep a child drowsy during an airline flight.  A few years ago, a daycare provider in Montana was convicted in the death of a baby after she medicated him (and others in her care) with an antihistamine. 

* * *

Would you ever use medication to keep your child calm and/or quiet? 

What do you think about parents who choose to do so? 

How is this different from using medication to control ADHD or similar disorders? 

 

[Mommy_of_Riley]

When my son was a baby I always fed him a bottle, gave him some tylenol, and then the binkie right before we got on a plane.  I don't think I'm a bad mom for doing so because it was for his benefit not just mine.  I've done it 3 times... on 3 flights... and it was never a full dose for his age, just enough to help him with the take off and make sure his ears were going to pop for sure. 

*My pediatrician said that if the child is sleeping then their ears will naturally pop*

[Kittismama]

I think it depends on the exact situation honestly, if it is being done for no reason other then the parents comfort and to make mommy's life easier I think it's wrong.  I think certain medications are just always wrong, like benadryl.  Frankly most medications aren't considered safe for children anymore.  My daughter has had Tylenol and Motrin, and that's it.  That's all she is likely to have till she is 4 or 6, and I personally wouldn't give her those for anything other then pain or fever, but I don't see them as being overly harmful occasionally (excessive periods of use of either has shown to have problems even within recommended doses). 

The difference between medicating a child like this and medicating them for ADHD or some other disorder is simple, and double.  One is done with a doctor's approval and direction the other isn't.  Secondly one is taking something that isn't behaviour within normal range and making it within norms, the other is taking normal behaviour and trying to force a change. 

 

(and I probably shouldn't be answering this, I may or may not make it back this weekend to see if anyone had questions or comments about my post)

[hsteele]

I guess I'm just one of those bad moms. I did give my toddler benedryl in a dose adequate for her weight when we went on planes. I think my toddler would rather be asleep than sitting bored on the plane or getting in trouble for acting up.

[cm08]

  news stories are sad

Personally I never used those cough medicine on myself because they never worked on me so why use them on my children.

[momaof8]

I agree with you medicine is meant to be used to heal your child not drug them, so yes you are in the bad mom category on this topic.

Quoting hsteele:

I guess I'm just one of those bad moms. I did give my toddler benedryl in a dose adequate for her weight when we went on planes. I think my toddler would rather be asleep than sitting bored on the plane or getting in trouble for acting up.

[momaof8]

I do not agree with ADHD meds. There are other ways to educate your child without giving them drugs that turn them into drones and damage their organs and minds over time. We have had several hyper ADHD kids of our own. So we homeschooled used several breaks to keep the stress down. Moved where we did class so the location was fresh, schooled on the trampoline so they could burn energy and learn. They grew up college bound honor students without a drugged body.

[hsteele]

Quoting momaof8:

I agree with you medicine is meant to be used to heal your child not drug them, so yes you are in the bad mom category on this topic.

Quoting hsteele:

I guess I'm just one of those bad moms. I did give my toddler benedryl in a dose adequate for her weight when we went on planes. I think my toddler would rather be asleep than sitting bored on the plane or getting in trouble for acting up.

Well, I guess that I will just be a bad mom in this category cause my kid was happier on that flight than all the other screaming ones since she slept the entire time.

[momaof8]

You mean you were happier. Isn't that the point?

Quoting hsteele:

 

Quoting momaof8:

I agree with you medicine is meant to be used to heal your child not drug them, so yes you are in the bad mom category on this topic.

Quoting hsteele:

I guess I'm just one of those bad moms. I did give my toddler benedryl in a dose adequate for her weight when we went on planes. I think my toddler would rather be asleep than sitting bored on the plane or getting in trouble for acting up.

 

Well, I guess that I will just be a bad mom in this category cause my kid was happier on that flight than all the other screaming ones since she slept the entire time.

[forsythia_18]

I'll give my son medicine when he's SICK.

[anziomom]

I feel OTC's are overused in many ways. My children are nine and four. They have had Tylenol less times than I can count on one hand. I would never drug them to keep them calm without medical necessity. I would never drug them to keep them quiet.