Brief Answer:
No, please do not use Cypon as it is not safe.

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

Cypon or cyproheptadine is a traditional anti-allergic medicine that has been used - or, should I say, misused - for its side-effects. Like all other medicines in its class (and this includes commonly used anti-allergics like Incidal and Avil, to name a few), its main role is to suppress histamine (a body chemical that causes symptoms of allergy such as a running nose, a skin-rash, and so on) release from its reservoirs inside the body. Some newer medicines work by other novel ways to prevent the histamine from working on its target organs.

Be that as it may, Cypon was never meant to be a medicine to solve problems like fussy eating or children that do not sleep well. In fact, drowsiness and a slight increase in appetite are mentioned among the UNDESIRABLE SIDE EFFECTS of this (and other anti-allergic) medicine(s).

Somewhere in the recent past, some wise-alack thought of prescribing this medicine for these side-effects, and within a few years, physicians all across XXXXXXX (I presume you are an Indian) adopted this drug for the above "effects" because no other viable alternative was available for these problems.

Mothers found the sleepiness induced by this medicine to be a boon, because they were able to sleep better when their child slept better, but after a few weeks of using Cypon, these side-effects wore off (yes, they do, just as the desirable effects of such medicines ALSO WEAR OFF), and the babies were back to square one. Even the stimulated appetites returned to their previous state after some weeks. But most of all, physicians and patients alike began to give HIGHER doses of the medicine, thinking that MORE WAS BETTER. This led to the development of major problems like EXCESSIVE DROWSINESS - which, as you may be aware, is particularly HARMFUL for the tiny, developing brain of a small baby. In case you weren't aware, babies' brains develop maximally in the first few years of life, and most of the cognitive (understanding and intelligence) development takes place DURING HEALTHY SLEEP CONDITIONS.

The sleep induced by Cypon is an unnatural deep sleep that causes the child to lapse into a semi-comatose state, from which, when she wakes up, she is not at all refreshed. She remains drowsy, or turns irritable, and remains fretful through the rest of the day.

Knowing all these things, I would certainly NOT RECOMMEND using Cypon for your daughter, regardless of how many other doctors might recommend it, or how many other friends of yours may be using it in their babies.

I hope this clarifies the problem for you.

In the meantime, may I suggest:

a) Stop bottle-feeding her if you are. Change over to cup feeds.
b) Do not carry your baby or rock her till she sleeps; rather, train her to sleep in her own cot, and place her there as she starts dozing off on your arm.
c) Use disposable diapers so that she does not wake up whenever she goes to pee.
d) Give her a warm bath or sponge at bed-time - this will surely enable her to sleep better.

If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact me again!

Faithfully,

Dr. Taher

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