would you

[erinjacob]

would you give your child a drug to make them sleep? my friend started work again an is sick of waking up 3 times a night so she goin to give her bub whos 11 months a drug i think its fernurgen, i personally think she shouldnt i dont believe in drugs for kids i have 3 kids under 3 an pregnant an with out fail every night ill be up at least 2 times ya i dont go to work but i do work at home. what do u think hav you or would you use it?

[ikis84]

No, no, no, no, no. :no:

Unless of course you can count breastmilk as a drug :laughing:

[erinjacob]

i agree breast milk is the best drug but she didnt breast feed she didnt like the idea an never tried it

[Mamalicious]

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

There must be something else she can do before resorting to drugging her baby?!

[Sazeby]

:shame: No way.. I don't think so.. My 9 month old wakes up 4 times a night and i wouldn't even start to consider sleeping drugs.. who knows what long term affects it could have. i would have said more on the topic but probably will get in trouble.

[erinjacob]

my 1st woke up 8 times a night untill she was 1 then we put her in our bed she slowly gettin out of our bed an she nearly 4. she hasnt trien any thing she just lookin for an easy out

[mogsy79]

:( No way would i ever give my kids fernergun ive heard bad thing bout that drug!

[jembelina]

My jaw is on the floor................seriously! Drugs to make a bubba sleep - that is so very sad and wrong, wrong, wrong!!
I don't know anything about the drug itself, but how do you get it? Can you just get it over the counter?? Surely no doctor would prescribe it for normal baby night wakings??!!
If she is feeling really desperate, which I presume she is, can she try a sleep school first? Or is there someone who can give her a break overnight? I know Brauers do a homeopathic medicine to help with sleep, maybe she could try that first?
Poor little bubba, makes me want to cry.

[Mamalicious]

my 1st woke up 8 times a night untill she was 1 then we put her in our bed she slowly gettin out of our bed an she nearly 4. she hasnt trien any thing she just lookin for an easy out

It's not going to help by comparing her to you.

[erinjacob]

ya she is totally different to me comparing wont help she dosnt seem depressed it just a big inconvenience she sells Tupperware, nutrametics creative memories scrapbookin an is plannin a wedding for march plus workin full time she hasnt tried any thing else she has a friend who works in a chemist an he said hell slip her som she hasnt even seen a dock for it. what can i do she hasnt researched the drug just goin on what he said should i research an show her how bad it is or let her make up her own mind

[mim]

Phenergan is NOT recommended for children under 2 - especially for sedation doses. It can depress their breathing and they can die.
Please tell your friend to talk to a doctor first :yes: Her bubs life is not worth extra sleep

[Hokey Pokey]

I know of a person at work who said their 9 month old was pescribed phenergan to help her sleep, but that was under STRICT guidance and dr's orders.

Your friend needs to see a dr, I understand what it is like being woken 3 times a night, but honestly, I don't think that warrants being sedated... :no:

[Mamalicious]

A better idea would be to cut down on the amount of work she is doing so she could cope with the needs of her children.

Could you get some printouts of the risks of sedating here baby and show it to her?

And if it were me I would be reporting this pharmacist "friend" of hers, he sounds like a ****.

[UmmInayah]

I think phernegan eventually wears off and doesn't work as effectively as when it was first used.. she's going to get a bit of a kick when she realises it no longer works!

But I agree with the others, it is totally wrong :( Unless it was like for a plane trip or something - but not ALL the time!

[xkwzit]

Maybe this might help.

I have heard (though not done my own research) that some children react in the opposite way with Phenergen. It hypes them up and makes them sleepless. Some ppl consider it for long haul flights with kids, but I (and several ppl I know) do not think it worth the risk to try it, because it sometimes has this opposite effect (not to mention any other adverse reaction that might happen because of drugging a small child).

It isn't the magic bullet she thinks it is, maybe just mention all of these other things (wakefulness, ineffective over the long term, risks to under 2yo) to her to make her think twice.

Cheers

[Mum&bubs]

No way! I wouldn't!

I am dead tired, both my girls still wake up during the night but I just couldn't do it. My DF only gets about 4 hours sleep a night then has to go to work which is draining on him so I can sort of feel her desperation.

Just let her know it won't last forever, I hope something sorts itself out for your friend :hugs:

[LotusMum]

I think that it is a truely selfish and dangerous thing your friend is doing.
I googled it and this is what I got:

Use in Pediatric Patients
PHENERGAN TABLETS AND SUPPOSITORIES ARE CONTRAINDICATED FOR USE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF AGE.

CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED WHEN ADMINISTERING PHENERGAN TABLETS AND SUPPOSITORIES TO PEDIATRIC PATIENTS 2 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR FATAL RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION. RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION AND APNEA, SOMETIMES ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH, ARE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH PROMETHAZINE PRODUCTS AND ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO INDIVIDUALIZED WEIGHT-BASED DOSING, WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PERMIT SAFE ADMINISTRATION. CONCOMITANT ADMINISTRATION OF PROMETHAZINE PRODUCTS WITH OTHER RESPIRATORY DEPRESSANTS HAS AN ASSOCIATION WITH RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION, AND SOMETIMES DEATH, IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS.

ANTIEMETICS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED VOMITING IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS, AND THEIR USE SHOULD BE LIMITED TO PROLONGED VOMITING OF KNOWN ETIOLOGY. THE EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYMPTOMS WHICH CAN OCCUR SECONDARY TO PHENERGAN TABLETS AND SUPPOSITORIES ADMINISTRATION MAY BE CONFUSED WITH THE CNS SIGNS OF UNDIAGNOSED PRIMARY DISEASE, e.g., ENCEPHALOPATHY OR REYE'S SYNDROME. THE USE OF PHENERGAN TABLETS AND SUPPOSITORIES SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WHOSE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS MAY SUGGEST REYE'S SYNDROME OR OTHER HEPATIC DISEASES.

Excessively large dosages of antihistamines, including Phenergan Tablets and Suppositories, in pediatric patients may cause sudden death (see OVERDOSAGE). Hallucinations and convulsions have occurred with therapeutic doses and overdoses of Phenergan in pediatric patients. In pediatric patients who are acutely ill associated with dehydration, there is an increased susceptibility to dystonias with the use of promethazine HCl.

Basically, its damn scary stuff. I just cant believe that someone would do this without even finding out if its safe and seeing a doctor! I hope to goodness that she stops now and goes and get her baby checked out.

[GeorgeousGirlBubbas]

Gosh seriously drugs? Most babies go through unsettled sleeping, the best solution is to persevere.... I tried controlled crying and it was the best thing i could have done, now my bubba sleeps from 6.00pm till 6.00am and still might stir occasionally for the dummy to be popped back in, and yes its hard getting up at night but thats what being a mum is all about! I say NO to drugs:thumbsdown:

[DivinelySophistimicated]

Phenurgen is a pain relief (correct me if im wrong) and has a sleeping agent. I have used it once (and once only) when bub was really sick and she NEEDED sleep. Chemist advised me that this was ok.

[Manxie]

Please use punctuation if you want people to read your posts...Its very hard to read!

Phenurgen is a pain relief (correct me if im wrong) and has a sleeping agent. I have used it once (and once only) when bub was really sick and she NEEDED sleep. Chemist advised me that this was ok.

Its actually an antihistamine, we give it to cardiac patients before they go for bypass surgery as a premed, need I say more?

[mum2derekandmia]

Maybe this might help.

I have heard (though not done my own research) that some children react in the opposite way with Phenergen. It hypes them up and makes them sleepless. Some ppl consider it for long haul flights with kids, but I (and several ppl I know) do not think it worth the risk to try it, because it sometimes has this opposite effect (not to mention any other adverse reaction that might happen because of drugging a small child).

It isn't the magic bullet she thinks it is, maybe just mention all of these other things (wakefulness, ineffective over the long term, risks to under 2yo) to her to make her think twice.

Cheers

I have heard this also. My kids wake constantly and I work 30hrs a week and I would never do this. Lets hope you can give her some information that will help her reconsider what she is doing. I second reporting her pharmacists, he should know better. If he is willing to give this drug with out a script god knows what other medications he gives away.:no:

[ikis84]

You don't need a script for phernergen... at least last time I bought it you didn't. However, the pharmacist grilled me, asking me what I was using it for. I just didn't tell him it was for drugging my baby to sleep :laughing:

Really, I am joking... it was for my nephew who was having an allergic reaction to cats.

[ZooKeeper]

:eek: the whole concept is just WRONG. babies need to develop with as little non-lifesaving medical inteference as possible IMO.

besides, kids can become dependent on drugs too, just ask anyone who has dealt with a bubba who got heroin/methadone/speed/barbituates in the womb and then goes thru withdrawal afterwards -- it's so hard on the bubs, a lot of them are treated with morphine.

i'm just apalled really. and BTW i work with a constant waker in my life.

[Lollie86]

Definately wouldnt do that! :no:

I have never even heard of that drug before this thread.

[our little treasures]

My jaw is on the floor................seriously! Drugs to make a bubba sleep - that is so very sad and wrong, wrong, wrong!!
I don't know anything about the drug itself, but how do you get it? Can you just get it over the counter?? Surely no doctor would prescribe it for normal baby night wakings??!!
If she is feeling really desperate, which I presume she is, can she try a sleep school first? Or is there someone who can give her a break overnight? I know Brauers do a homeopathic medicine to help with sleep, maybe she could try that first?
Poor little bubba, makes me want to cry.
It's over the counter.

A better idea would be to cut down on the amount of work she is doing so she could cope with the needs of her children.

Could you get some printouts of the risks of sedating here baby and show it to her?

And if it were me I would be reporting this pharmacist "friend" of hers, he sounds like a ****.

I agree being a mummy comes first drugging children to make your life easier is bloomin selfish:mad:

Phenurgen is a pain relief (correct me if im wrong) and has a sleeping agent. I have used it once (and once only) when bub was really sick and she NEEDED sleep. Chemist advised me that this was ok.

Nope not a pain relief but a antihistamine and is used in our family for bee stings as we are allergic also for dh as he has atopic eczema and this helps ease the itch and give him sleep!!:thumbsup:

[tyler's mum]

Never not unless i had to and the doc told me to.

[elissas]

Phernergan is an anti-histamine. It's available over the counter, just like other drugs that are similar.

Problem is, your friend is probably just acting on well-meaning advice from other people, probably from the last generation.

For my mother and MIL and their generation, it was a standard sleep tool, they used when sleep became too disrupted, particularly after being sick. Mum used to give us phernergan on advice from her Dr., they didn't know the associated risks etc then. It was a pretty common thing to do.

MIL tells me that DH used to go hyper on it. I think my DS would do the same as he is sensitive to lots of things, and reacts in a similar way to things as DH.

Your friend just probably needs to be educated re the new information, and made aware that although generations past were bigger on drugging kids to sleep (particularly in the 70s), it's not considered safe or advisable now.

[OneBabyBoy]

I was apparently a very hard baby to deal with. A reflux baby that screamed alot. My mother apparently drugged me with Phenergan very regularily.

My son has bad reflux and he cries alot and the night times are hard and yes the thought of drugging him still horrifies me. I can't imagine how she did it.

I often wonder if it's why I have so many problems with sleep now. I go through bouts of insomnia sometimes lasting months or years and when I do sleep it's very restless and full of nightmares. I never wake up refreshed and I wonder if it's because when I was learning to sleep when I was a baby I was actually knocked out.

A very very bad idea.

[Kangaskippy]

My dad uses it when he has an allergic reaction to things...generally his face puffs up or his hands...(he was an apiarist - AKA beekeeper for years)...I have used it myself for certain allergies...

but

would NEVER ever consider using it on my child for a sleep agent...I feel that is irresponsible...I have a baby that doesn't sleep well either, but manage to get up to him and get on with normal life...

Your friend sounds like she is trying to do too much with little time and thus endangering her child to make it easier for 'her' life...not that of her child...

[Mummabear]

some kids hype up on it because of the orange colouring in it. My son reacts to orange colouring so needless to say I wouldn't bother with it for sedation

[LittleMissMel]

My mum used it to get me and my two bros into sleeping through the night... mind you that was a few years ago as we are now 24, 19 & 17.

Getting woken of a night is part of parenting as far as I'm concerned. DD was waking a couple of weeks ago about 11pm and it was playtime until 2am and even though my eye balls were hanging out of my head the three days I work, I never considered 'drugging' my 14 month old.

Mel

[~Emmylou~]

As someone who had a baby that didn't sleep for months and whose life very nearly fell apart because of it I am not going to pass judgement on someone whose baby waking is having a detrimental effect on her life. My son's all night wakings very nearly sent me over the edge at one point and my whole family suffered greatly. It's one thing to experience phases of night waking that are over in a few weeks - its another thing altogether to have it go on nightly for months and months. It is pure torture.

I never once considered giving him phenergan even though I knew about it. I read a study that had linked it to SIDS and even though I was nearly delirious from sleep deprivation that was enough to put me right off.

Perhaps that would be the way to go about convincing her not to use it, I don't think it's a great idea to resort to these things to get some sleep, but I DO understand that when you're sleep deprived and barely hanging in there it's harder to think these things through and a quick fix is very, very attractive :(