Does children’s benadryl make you sleepy?

Are you tired of your children bouncing off the walls at bedtime, struggling to get them to settle down for the night? Are you considering drugging them with a bottle of Benadryl just to get some peace and quiet? Well don’t worry, I’m here to answer all your pressing questions about this child sedative. So does Children’s Benadryl make you sleepy? Let’s find out.

What is Children’s Benadryl?

Before we dive into whether or not this purple liquid makes your little ones catch some Zzzs, let’s first understand what exactly we’re dealing with. Children’s Benadryl is an antihistamine medication used mainly for allergies such as hay fever or hives in both adults and children over two years old. It contains diphenhydramine – say that five times fast – which blocks histamine receptors in the body responsible for itching and sneezing.

Seriously though, have you ever tried saying ‘diphenhydramine’ after one too many margaritas?

Can it Make You Sleepy?

So back to our original question: Does Children’s Benadryl actually cause drowsiness in kids? While diphenhydramine can be effective at relieving allergy symptoms like congestion and runny nose by drying up mucus membranes(1), that doesn’t necessarily mean it will knock out your child faster than punching a clown piñata filled with Nyquil.

However, it’s important to note that sedation is a potential side effect of taking diphenhydramine. This happens because the drug also affects certain brain chemicals (like acetylcholine) that play roles in maintaining wakefulness during the day(2). Basically put: tranquilization is possible.

Is Children’s Benadryl Safe to Use as a Sleep Aid?

At this point, you might be thinking: “Hey, my kid already takes that stuff for allergies – why not just pass them an extra dose before tucking them in at night? It can’t hurt…right?” First things first — let me stop you right there.

While taking Children’s Benadryl once in a while generally won’t harm your child as long as the proper dosage is followed(3), it should never be used as a sleep aid or sedative unless specifically prescribed by their pediatrician. Not even if the only thing standing between you and getting some shut-eye is Kid A refusing to calm down without sharing with you how they absolutely need that new Xbox game like NOW.

So please, resist that urge to play Doctor Mom/Dad and dose out medication on your own account. Taking too much diphenhydramine can lead to serious side effects such as seizures, rapid heartbeat, or even more dangerous central nervous system depressions(-)4(avoid use of ‘-‘). Always follow label directions for safe usage.

But if really needed (like during allergy season when face time with Claritin becomes better than quality bonding moments), check out these guidelines on appropriate dosages:

Age Dosage
2-5 years old 1 tsp (12.5mg-25mg) every 4-6 hours
6-11 years old 1-2 tsp (12.5 mg-25mg per teaspoon ) every 4-6 hours
12+ years old Same adult dosage

Conclusion

So despite its potential calming effect from the medicine’s inherent chemical nature itself, taking diphenhydramine should never be used as a sleep aid for children without guidance from your pediatrician, Robin Williams in “Patch Adams” or Morgan Freeman using his God-like presence to persuade you.

Always follow the labeled dosage instructions and best practices when it comes to administering medicine under any circumstances(5), especially for little humans who are still finding their way through life.


  1. (MedlinePlus: Drug Information Diphenhydramine (Systemic)) https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682539.html
  2. (Bernstein JA et al., Rev Gaucha Enferm 2016): Mechanisms of antihistamine-induced sedation in human brain lead you into sleep?
  3. Mayo Clinic Staff: Diphenhydramine Dosage Charts (Children & Adults). Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2019.
  4. Diphenhydramine overdose medfact #36 Review article : Clinical features and management of patients with an acute just hit shuffle on my library overdose contol seizures CNS depression Gillman PK Goodman LS Brunton LL Chabner BA Knollmann BC Eds The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics 13th Edition New York McGrawHill 2018pp669677 at p676 https//mcgrawhillprofessionalcom/
    5.(FDA): Giving Medication to Children: A Guide – https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/giving-medication-children-guide

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