Long Haul flight with a Toddler

[DizzyF]

Did anyone get an antihistamine prescription from their GP? Have had a few people recommend this. Not keen to drug my child but am concerned about his welfare and encountering angry passengers if he decides to have a good scream!

[Andy-Dee]

I have to say Singapore Airlines are great with them and provide colouring packs and child friendly meals.

I'd try to plan the flight times around your childs sleep patterns as it is possible to get sleep on the plane for the little ones. The ones that don't sleep and fret - seem to be those with young siblings and they wind / wake each other up.

Most of the other passengers are sympathetic and you find that children get ushered to the front of queues for the loo and toddle up and down the aisles. There are a few grumpy fellow passengers, but isn't that always the case???

Try to break the journey up and spend a day or two in Singapore or LA depending on your route.

Good luck

[Mrs Pony]

There are a few grumpy fellow passengers, but isn't that always the case???

Yea... that's us... sorry bout that...

[Kerry and David]

I have heard that some pharmacies especially the ones at the airport won't give certain medicines as they know they are being used for sedation. My own opinion is that I wouldnt do it on my 4 year old son because he hasn't had it before I dont know how he would react, also I personally wouldn't feel comfortable doing it - not saying it is wrong , thats just how I feel.
I am flying on Tuesday with my 4, 11, 16 year old. I know its going to be a nightmare as we are going straight through but they have flown a bit and I just go with the flow - yes he will have the odd moan but in all honesty I'm considerate to other passengers but also don't pay too much attention to the odd tutt etc - I bet most people on the plane have experienced 4 year olds at some point.
Have got lot's of activities to keep them occupied. The only downside (or may be an upside) is that I have to take tablets to fly as I get air sick without them and they can make me sleepy!

[Andy-Dee]

Yea... that's us... sorry bout that...

Understandable if you don't have kids - when you do, it is easier to be more sympathetic. I was a great tutter, BC (before child).

[nippa&pippa]

I got this anti-histamine you are talking about BUT I would never ever give it to my children to get them sleepy during flights it is not worth it.
Also from our experiences that we HAD to give our son this anti-histamine because he had severe allergy reaction in mid-air. I had to give him double doses to stop reaction after he was failed to response to first dose. Results of this, my son was very sleepy for rest of first legs and arrive in 2nd aiport very drownsy that my OH had to carry him around (I had 9 months old baby to carry), then very alert and full of beans during second leg flight, so he didn't go to sleep during this flight.

Just bring plenty books, paper, colouring, small toys etc, all brand news so your child got something new and exciting including his old favourite in his own new little suitcase that he can pull it/or he can sat on it and you pull it (have you heard about this suitcase?). Just IGNORE other passengers when your child is not happy because your child can pick up your stress worrying about other passengers make it worse for your child's stress.....just let other passengers moan as it is their own problem can't cope with kids .

[Mrs Pony]

I took Dramamine, which is a motion sickness pill, but it always makes me sleepy so I take it just to sleep in the long plane rides. Slept for about 9 hours out of the 12 hour plane ride.

Edit: Just remembered that it's a toddler ... so probably can't use that for them...so just completely ignore everything I just said...

[Derv]

There could be a solution - have a "child-free airline" to rival the "smokers' airline" (aka Wheezyjet) mentioned on another post. And now I'm before anyone takes me seriously!

[Pooks]

Be careful with any sedatives for your kids. When we went out to NZ for a holiday the first time my son was a month or two short of hitting the 'terrible two's'. To be on the safe side we spoke to our doctor about getting something to subdue him should he become a problem.

A couple of weeks before we left he was being very difficult (possibly the worst he has ever been) so we decided to try out the sedatives that had been prescribed. He went absolutely hyper, climbing the walls and being a total nuisance (family friendly forum otherwise I would possibly use other language to describe the tension that night).

My point is that, as with all drugs, one person can react totally different to another. In this case the, supposed, sedatives had the opposite effect. Had I given them to him on the plane then it would have been absolute chaos.

As it happened, he was the most angelic little boy you could ever have wanted on the two flights to NZ. The crew were very good with him (Malaysia Airlines) and the in-flight entertainment, pencil-case, colouring book etc, kept him more than amused.

My advice? If you are really worried then talk to your Doctor about it. If he/she decides to prescribe something then try out a little dose before you go. Chances are that they will be in awe at what is going on and you won't need any prescribed "help".

[dharder]

Did anyone get an antihistamine prescription from their GP? Have had a few people recommend this. Not keen to drug my child but am concerned about his welfare and encountering angry passengers if he decides to have a good scream!

There's phenergan and vallergan, one of them you get in the pharmacy and one you need a prescription for. Can't remember which one, would have to look it up.

We tried the non-prescription one, and the kids went restless and whiney, so no point at all. The prescription one seemed to work slighly better, although we're not talking valium here, you're not exactly knocking your child out.

I have no issues using either for kids, if there is any way I can help them through an unpleasant experience (as a long haul flight can be for a small child), then I'll do it.

But you need to make sure that it does what it is supposed to and not the opposite, so do try before you fly.

Daniela