What are Antihistamines doing in a baby? In his song Lullaby, Tim Minchin sings: > Your nappy is dry and your tummy is full > Of enough antihistamine to chill out a bull > Yet still all this gringing According to Wikipedia, antihistamines are used against allergies. So, why is there antihistamine in his baby's tummy and why is it supposed to make her sleepy?

This song most likely refers to an **off-label** ( _and usually **inappropriate_** ) use for certain antihistamines like **Benadryl**. They are sometimes used by parents to **sedate their children** , functioning through the exact physiological mechanisms @Chris describes. Parents use it **inappropriately** as a means of **behavioral control** for active or upset children to make them more docile or sleepy, such as for airplane rides, etc. **It's not recommended by most pediatricians**, because even though adverse (bad) side effects are usually rare, it is an actual medication with another primary mechanism of action having effects on many body functions, not a medication designed as a sedative.