BENADRYL

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WARNING

NEVER give Benadryl or any other sedatives to infants under 1 year of age for sleep. Do not allow daycare providers to give sedatives to your infants. Always consult your child's physician before using sedatives for sleep in children.

The generic name is Diphenhydramine. This is an "anti-histamine" medication. During an allergic reaction, histamine is released into the blood stream by certain cells called Mast cells. The histamine is responsible for much of the itching, sneezing, swelling or rash that occurs during a reaction. The "anti- histamine" blocks these nuisances.

Benadryl is great for just about any cause of itching: insect bites, bee stings, poison ivy, chicken pox, and allergy. It is also good for the swelling that can sometimes accompany these reactions. Benadryl will also relieve runny nose and sneezing whether from a cold or allergy.

DR. SEARS HELPFUL TIP FOR TREATING COLDS

When I give my children cold medications, I have found that the nasal passages can become dry, that's why it's important to use saline nasal spray throughout the day and a humidifier in the bedroom at night (see natural cold treatments).

Give 0.5 mg per pound every 4-6 hours. (See dosing chart) The package doesn't give a dose for under 2 years of age and we don't recommend use under the age of one. The package also gives rather vague doses (one dose for a 2-6 year-old), often resulting in under-dosing. I prefer to calculate the dose by the child's weight. The dose is about 0.5 mg per pound of bodyweight (or 1.25 mg per kilogram). For example, a 25 lb child would get 12.5 mg (25lb X 0.5mg/lb = 12.5mg). This is exactly one teaspoon of liquid or one chewable tablet. This dose can be given every four to six hours. Hint: the dose for Benadryl and Acetaminophen (Tylenol) are the same for the liquid or chewables, i.e. if a child gets one teaspoon of Tylenol, then his dose of Benadryl is also one teaspoon.

Weight:	Liquid 12.5mg/5ml	Chewable Tablets 12.5mg each	Tablets 25mg each
17-21 lbs	3/4 tsp (3.75ml)	Use liquid	Use liquid
22-32 lbs	1 tsp (5ml)	1 tablet	Use liquid or chews
33-42 lbs	1 1/2 tsp (7.5ml)	1 1/2 tablet	Use liquid or chews
43-53 lbs	2 tsp (10ml)	2 tablets	1 tablet
54-64 lbs	2 1/2 tsp (12.5ml)	2 1/2 tablets
65-75 lbs	3 tsp (15ml)	3 tablets
76-86 lbs	3 1/2 tsp (17.5ml)	3 1/2 tablets
>86 lbs	4 tsp (20ml)	4 tablets	2 tablets