Benadryl for teething?

Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

thanks,
Karen

Karen ) wrote:

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

I have never heard of using Benadryl for teething. Orajel on the gums, yes (not
wild about this idea, but it worked for us once or twice with an acute
tooth-just-about-to-pop). (I've also heard of using whiskey, but I'm not going
to recommend that, though it might work!) I suppose someone might have thought
that one swelling/irritation is like another, and maybe Benadryl would help a
swollen gum just as it helps swollen hives, but the logic is false, as swollen
gums are due to inflammation, not to histamine reaction.

Benadryl never made my kids sleepy at all (my son had it quite a bit at one
point due to a skin problem we couldn't get figured out for a long while --
eventually turned out to be a reaction to the metal snaps on his clothes, of
all things!). In a way I was just as glad, as all three of my kids had sleep
problems, and if *any* drug had made them sleep better, I would have been
seriously tempted to abuse it then and there! I made a lot of grim jokes about
it being a good thing that laudanum was no longer available.

I think ibuprofen is the remedy most likely to help nighttime teething pain,
but what do I know -- I could seldom work out what was teething pain and what
wasn't. We'd have nights of howling where there was a new tooth in the morning
and say "Oh, that was it!" but also many nights of howling when the baby didn't
sprout any more teeth for months. Go figure. Some kids are *much* easier to
read, though (and of course some lucky ones have almost no trouble cutting
teeth anyway).

--Helen

Karen ) wrote:

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

I have never heard of using Benadryl for teething. Orajel on the gums, yes (not
wild about this idea, but it worked for us once or twice with an acute
tooth-just-about-to-pop). (I've also heard of using whiskey, but I'm not going
to recommend that, though it might work!) I suppose someone might have thought
that one swelling/irritation is like another, and maybe Benadryl would help a
swollen gum just as it helps swollen hives, but the logic is false, as swollen
gums are due to inflammation, not to histamine reaction.

Benadryl never made my kids sleepy at all (my son had it quite a bit at one
point due to a skin problem we couldn't get figured out for a long while --
eventually turned out to be a reaction to the metal snaps on his clothes, of
all things!). In a way I was just as glad, as all three of my kids had sleep
problems, and if *any* drug had made them sleep better, I would have been
seriously tempted to abuse it then and there! I made a lot of grim jokes about
it being a good thing that laudanum was no longer available.

I think ibuprofen is the remedy most likely to help nighttime teething pain,
but what do I know -- I could seldom work out what was teething pain and what
wasn't. We'd have nights of howling where there was a new tooth in the morning
and say "Oh, that was it!" but also many nights of howling when the baby didn't
sprout any more teeth for months. Go figure. Some kids are *much* easier to
read, though (and of course some lucky ones have almost no trouble cutting
teeth anyway).

--Helen

Karen ) wrote:

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

I have never heard of using Benadryl for teething. Orajel on the gums, yes (not
wild about this idea, but it worked for us once or twice with an acute
tooth-just-about-to-pop). (I've also heard of using whiskey, but I'm not going
to recommend that, though it might work!) I suppose someone might have thought
that one swelling/irritation is like another, and maybe Benadryl would help a
swollen gum just as it helps swollen hives, but the logic is false, as swollen
gums are due to inflammation, not to histamine reaction.

Benadryl never made my kids sleepy at all (my son had it quite a bit at one
point due to a skin problem we couldn't get figured out for a long while --
eventually turned out to be a reaction to the metal snaps on his clothes, of
all things!). In a way I was just as glad, as all three of my kids had sleep
problems, and if *any* drug had made them sleep better, I would have been
seriously tempted to abuse it then and there! I made a lot of grim jokes about
it being a good thing that laudanum was no longer available.

I think ibuprofen is the remedy most likely to help nighttime teething pain,
but what do I know -- I could seldom work out what was teething pain and what
wasn't. We'd have nights of howling where there was a new tooth in the morning
and say "Oh, that was it!" but also many nights of howling when the baby didn't
sprout any more teeth for months. Go figure. Some kids are *much* easier to
read, though (and of course some lucky ones have almost no trouble cutting
teeth anyway).

--Helen

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01

But how old were your kids? I thought under 6 months = basically no meds
unless it's infant drops OR something really serious and doc prescribed, so
I would be very hesitant about putting Motrin or Benadryl in or on Karen's
kids at 5 months.

Try Orajel first, Karen. And if tempted to try anything else look for an
infant dose and be very careful.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)


"telmgren" wrote in message
.com...

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or
naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When
the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01

But how old were your kids? I thought under 6 months = basically no meds
unless it's infant drops OR something really serious and doc prescribed, so
I would be very hesitant about putting Motrin or Benadryl in or on Karen's
kids at 5 months.

Try Orajel first, Karen. And if tempted to try anything else look for an
infant dose and be very careful.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)


"telmgren" wrote in message
.com...

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or
naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When
the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01

But how old were your kids? I thought under 6 months = basically no meds
unless it's infant drops OR something really serious and doc prescribed, so
I would be very hesitant about putting Motrin or Benadryl in or on Karen's
kids at 5 months.

Try Orajel first, Karen. And if tempted to try anything else look for an
infant dose and be very careful.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)


"telmgren" wrote in message
.com...

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
Another question, this one should be a bit easier to respond to

I've had a few people tell me, including a nurse, to use Benadryl for
teething. I've been told both to rub it on the baby's gums, and also
to give them small amounts.
But other people, including a pharmacist, have never heard this and
can't imagine how it would help (except, perhaps, making the babies
sleep..but the down-side is that it can also make children extra
hyper).

What have you heard and what are your experiences?

My pediatrician actually recommended this. She said that I should give a
small dose of it along with a small dose of Motrin at bedtime and/or
naptime
only and only for a few days at a time of course. She said there is
something in the Benadryl that along with being an antihistamine also acts
as something of a numbing agent hence putting it on the gums as well as
taking it orally. The side benefit being that it should also help them
sleep. The Motrin was obviously for pain relief but also helped with
swelling. I have to say that it worked REALLY well for my girls. When
the
got their 4 front teeth they both got them all at once and this was a life
saver for me. Good luck, teething babies are no fun. ((

--
Tori

Mommy to
Lauren & Madison

4/4/01