As horrible as this sounds can something be giving to calm a child on a long car trip?

Question

I am leaving next week for a 12 hour car trip and my son who is 1 years old hates the car. We took a three hour drive and he screamed all the way there and all the way home. Is their and kind of medicine that will help calm him down. I highly doubt there is but everybody keeps telling me that i should ask the doctor about it. I am going to ask the doctor but was wondering if anyone had similar experiences?

Answer 1

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT DRUG YOUR CHILD...YES UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES BENEDRYL AND BABY TYLENOL ARE GREAT MEDICINES, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF A PEACEFUL TRIP IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO CHANCE OVER - DOSING YOUR CHILD. A WOMEN THAT I WENT TO CHURCH, HER GRAND SON WAS ACCIDENTLY MURDERED BY A BABYSITTER. THE CHILD WOULDN'T LAY DOWN FOR A NAP AND THE SITTER WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED...SO SHE GAVE HIM A LIL BIT OF BENEDRYL, ONLY SHE ACCIDENTLY GAVE HIM TOO MUCH...TRUE STORY....PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE YOUR LIVES FOREVER...PLEASE...

Answer 2

yes a nintendo ds or gameboy. go buy a dvd player for the car play one of his fav movies.

Answer 3

We give our kids benadryl for long trips...their "allergies" really seem to kick in right about the time we leave! :)

Answer 4

Bring music, crayons, snacks, and maybe a ball that you can play with at rest stops.

Answer 5

For starters, someone will probably need to sit in back with him the whole way.  

Twelve hours is very hard to do in one day.  Ideally, you'd break this into a two day drive.

You'll need to take frequent breaks to stretch.  Your little one shouldn't sit in a carseat for more than 2-3 hours at a stretch.  Take some new toys, some books, some obnoxious noisy toys, and prepare to play peek-a-boo for hundreds of miles.  

Lots of snacks:  cut up fruit, puffs, freeze dried fruit, whatever you normally eat.  When you stop for gas or to take a bathroom break, get out and walk around for 15-20 minutes.  Let your child stretch and explore a bit.

Answer 6

well, I have thought about this myself, and also have talked with my husband about it, I have seen how kids are on dramamine, and personally, I think even though it can be heavenly, it is sad.

Have you tried waking your son up at around 4:30 or 5 a.m. to leave, he should go back to sleep until his regular wake up time, and maybe even longer if you kept him up a little past his bedtime the night before :)

as crappy as it is, you may have to stop every two hours to let him run his little guts out, then he will be tired. the trip will take longer, but we pick our battles:

Longer trip ,less stress OR Shorter trip, no hair left? :)

I have a screamer, I know how terrible it is to listen to. so I hope this may help a little.

Answer 7

bendryll is also now not recommended for under 2 yrs old. Personally find an older child to run your little boy ragged (with proper supervision of course) and do your best to drive during his sleeping times. I've made the drive from washington state to northern california several times when my little boy was that age. Night time was the best however with frequent stops it still took us 16 hours. Plenty of safe car toys and lots of juice boxes, water bottles and car friendly snacks. Individual sizes of crackers and mini cookies work well. The bigger sizes usually end up dumped on the floor with a fit when he wants them again. Much as I hate to say it noisy toys work the best, of course.

Hopefully your doctor is more cooperative compared to mine. I asked the same thing and he told me that it is absolutely wrong to drug your child for the sake of a trip! Like him screaming hours on end is a healthy thing for him or I to go through??

Answer 8

Benadryl- I didn't do it, but my pediatrician said I could give it to my son when he was sick and just couldn't sleep

Instead, though, I would make lots of stops, give him new toys, sing songs, have lots of tasty/healthy snacks, sit with him, point out things along the way (my son LOVES trucks), ... You'll feel better that way        Good luck!

Answer 9

benadryl..childrens

Answer 10

Benadryl or Dramamine.  Though I think Dramamine is only for children 2 and up.

I wouldn't do it in the car, but on an airplane I will be giving my kids Dramamine!

Good Luck!

Answer 11

Try teething tablets, they are natural and help soothe a crying baby. I wouldn't recommend drugging your baby, but the teething tablets are safe.

Answer 12

don't drug him up. People have accidentally killed their kids by giving them unnecessary meds to control their behavior. I would buy him so newer toys that will hold his attention. Parcel them out over the hours to hold his attention. Also, you could play music he likes. And don't forget to take some breaks on the road, go to a restaurant or something.

Answer 13

My husband and I are planning a 10 hour drive with the kids, 8 and 4 and a dog. We are going to leave at night so the kids will sleep in the car. We will take turns driving.

Answer 14

for my little one the first stop on a road trip is the toy store. he gets a special toy that he isn't tired of yet for being good in the car. If it's not just you in the car with the little man, have someone sit in the back with him to keep him relaxed. As horrible as the car can be, try to make it a new fun experience, even thought that can be impossible. I "drug" my 2 year old with some candy as some bribery, but haven't needed anything dangerous.

Answer 15

I'm guessing a pacifier doesn't work, what about a favorite toy, or blanket.  Maybe give him something that smells like you.  I have a 15 month old and never had a problem with her in the car, I could count on her sleeping in the car, and I don't know anyone that experienced this either. Have you tried the mirror so he can see you.  As far as giving him a medication the only thing I could think of is children's benedryll, usually makes kids sleepy, my vet told me to give one to my dogs when they go for rides since they don't like it - I know your son is not a dog, but they said it would help with the anxiety.  Is he like this even for short car rides?  If not and it's the long ones that get him maybe it's just because he doesn't want to sit so long - I would take plenty of breaks, and make sure you stay on your feeding schedule.  If you're not driving alone w/him try sitting in the back seat w/him.  Have you tried classical music, they make baby classical music and my daughter loves it, puts her right out.  Make sure he's comfortable in his car seat, make sure straps aren't too tight.  But definitely follow up with your doc to see what she recommends if your looking only for a medication solution.  Good luck, and have a safe trip.

Answer 16

give him food that absorbs and expands w/ moisture. pasta, bread, crackers, etc. this will help the belly seem full and when you are full, you want to sleep.

if that doesnt work, bring the tylenol along!

Answer 17

Poor baby has to sit, alone, in the back seat for 12 hours bored to death.  Give him nourishing food that will stay in his stomach for a while.  Snacks like cookies, crackers, etc. don't last long and will make him hungrier than before.  If the baby's stomach is full and the diaper is clean, he's going to get sleepy.

Don't drug your baby just so you can make the trip; that is so so wrong.  Laws vary from state to state and I hope your state allows for a child his age to ride in the front seat or at least in a booster seat so he can see out the windows.  If you, husband, and baby are making the trip, how about you riding in the back seat with him? You could try some children's music that includes learning to mimic the song.  He may be too young to get it right but maybe he'll have fun watching you do it.

Be grateful that you have him to go with you.  I'm making a 12-hour trip (one way) next week and I have to drive it alone, as I have done so many times.  It's a long lonely trip for me.

Above all else, have a safe trip.