Back to Medicine Cabinet

Antihistamines

This class of drugs is useful for allergic reactions like when you eat strawberries and break out is a rash, for runny noses to dry it up without agitating your child the way some decongestants can and for occasional sedative use when you are desperate but not crazy. Some parents give it to a child on a flight to get them would down - be careful if this is the first time your child gets this - you can get an unexpected paradoxical reaction (in other words johnny is now trying to fly the airplane in place of the pilot). The usual brand is BENADRYL and the usual dose is 1-1.5 milligrams per kilogram of weight so that since the elixir comes as 12.5 milligrams per teaspoon a typical dose for a 25 pounder is 1 - 1.5 teaspoons and the dose may be repeated if needed at 4 hour intervals. Do not over use - you can over dry the nasal passages and make your child feel worse. And drowsy is not always desirable especially if you were counting on your 40 pound 4 year old to walk off the plane while you carried all the bags!!

Send your comments to: webmaster@drpaula.com