Mum-of-four admits she sedates her children to help them sleep on long-haul flights

A MUM has come under fire after she admitted she gives her children sedatives to help them sleep on long-haul flights.

Devon-based journalist Shona Sibary made the controversial comments on This Morning.

Shona, 46, said she gave her children Phenergan Elixir, which is more commonly used to treat allergies but can cause drowsiness.

Shona, defending her actions, said: "I am not embarrassed, I just don’t think it is fair when somebody else has paid an absolute fortune for an economy flight seat.

"Why should they put up with a screaming child for 15 hours?

"What I struggle with is this parent-centric attitude that the whole world has to revolve around children.

"Back in the day, my aunt worked in cabin crew for 30 years and they would take the dummy and stick it back in the child's mouth."

She continued: "Why should your child take precedence over everyone else? If I had my way they would be in a different cabin altogether, they'd be in the hold sedated."

But This Morning medic, Dr Ranj Singh, warned against her actions.

He said: "'You are relying on what is essentially a side effect of a medication which could be unpredictable, and surely there will be people saying don't go on that extra long-haul flight?"

Another mum, Nilifur Atik, also criticised Shona's actions.

Speaking on the show she said it was like "child abuse".

'For me it is tantamount to abuse," she explained. "Anything can happen on a plane, there could be an emergency, a crash landing, even a terrorist attack.

'I know it's unlikely, but it does happen and the last thing you want as a parent is your child to be comatose in a heavily sedated state."

On Twitter people were quick to criticise Shona.

Katie Louise King said: "If the kids are well behaved then parents would not need to drug the children. I think it’s an awful thing to do."

Lowri Murray‏ added: "If a child can’t cope with being confined and sitting still for a long time, maybe parents should rethink taking them somewhere they need to fly to? Kids aren’t made to sit quietly and still for long periods, their needs should come before the ‘need’ for a foreign holiday."

Jo Frost, Supernany, said: "Unfortunately this is not new, I've known of parents who have choosen this type of action going back since the 80s. Parents do fill justified in giving their children this type of medicine for long-haul flights. I would not professionally recommend either.

"However, parents are under so much pressure for their child toperform whilst travelling due to society lack of tolerance. I feel for families. Kids are kids. People need to practice patience and stop being so entitled."

Shona previously revealed she peeped on her kids' phones - and viewers slammed her for it.

And she was criticised for letting her five-year-old walk the dog alone.