Side Effects

Aside from the sedation factor, Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec all may have similar side effects: dizziness, dry mouth, dry nose, dry eyes (these medication are all very drying agents), and constipation.
Benadryl is a bit different from Claritin and Zyrtec. It can easily cross a structure called the blood-brain barrier (the BBB) and enter the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain and spinal cord (BASC. Okay…kidding on that last one). This is what causes Benadryl’s well-known sedating effect. Since Claritin and Zyrtec do not cross into the brain nearly as well, they are known as non-sedating antihistamines (although some sedation can occur).

Excited (if not frazzled) parents may think, “Great! I’ll give my child Benadryl to help with their allergy symptoms and help them rest too.” Don’t prepare that cup of hot tea and reach for your favorite book too soon. Benadryl has been known to cause paradoxical hyperactivity in children: an unexplainable ability to cause inconsolable irritation and agitation.

And the Pharmacist Recommends…

While Benadryl’s quick 15 to 30 minute onset of action is tempting, it doesn’t reach its peak performance for about 2 to 4 hours. Also, it must be ingested multiple times per day. Plus, there’s Benadryl’s unpredictable ability to cause either marked drowsiness or off-the-wall excitability.

While Zyrtec and Claritin both have the convenience of once-daily dosing and seem to be equally effective, Zyrtec is my professional (and personal) recommendation. It’s been proven to work faster and reach its peak effects much sooner than Claritin. It’s a bit more sedative than Claritin, so if you notice your child’s sleepy time coming on a little too quick, Claritin is still an excellent alternative. If your child’s allergy symptoms are persistent even after taking the OTC antihistamines, a visit to the physician may be necessary. In fact, if your little one is less than 2 years old, it’s probably best to take your infant to a physician before treating him or her on your own.  He or she may be suffering from a non-allergic condition, as toddlers haven’t developed enough verbal cues quite yet to clue you in on what may be wrong. Plus, OTC antihistamines may be too strong for their little bodies to handle.

THE END!

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Dosing

There is no need to give your child more than what is directed.  It will not speed up recovery and will only bring about more side effects (this goes for all three medications). For children ages 2 and older, Claritin and Zyrtec list appropriate doses on their respective boxes. Benadryl is a bit trickier. Even though Benadryl is FDA approved for kiddos younger than 2 years of age, the directions on the OTC package are geared toward children 6 years and younger.  

As a pharmacist, I recommend giving children 2 to 5 years of age ½ teaspoonful (6.25mg) and children 6 to 12 years of age 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls (12.5 – 25mg) of Benadryl by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed (teenagers can take the adult tablets, unless they are super small for their age). However, as a disclaimer, if you have any doubt, even the slightest inkling, please seek help from your local pharmacist or your child’s physician!

There are no special directions on how these medications should be taken. Food will not affect the response to the drugs. Because of Claritin’s and Zyrtec’s once-daily dosing, I recommend giving them to your child at bedtime so he or she can sleep through any sedating effects the drugs may have. Also, pollen levels are highest in the morning, so Claritin and Zyrtec will be well absorbed into your child’s system and ready for battle if taken at bedtime (a good deal if pollen is your child’s major “invader”).

And let’s stop there!  Don’t want to overwhelm you with too much info at once.   I’ll get Part III out to you next week.  

Does your child suffer from allergies (indoor or outdoor)?  Leave a comment below to share how their allergy symptoms are controlled! 

Questions can be sent to me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com, or you can use the “Submit Your Question” form at the top of the page. 

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Happy Monday