I’m a Pediatrician & Here's What Parents Should Know about Melatonin Overdoses in Kids
Few things are as stressful — or disruptive — to a family’s life as a child who doesn’t sleep well. If you are a sleep-deprived parent trying to get a few more hours of rest, you likely have heard or may have given your child melatonin. But with the recent news around the increase in melatonin overdoses in kids, is melatonin even safe for children, and should you let your child use it? Let’s chat.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It is stimulated by darkness at night and tells the body it is time to sleep. During the morning, in response to daylight, melatonin production is turned off.
More from SheKnows
Synthetic melatonin is also sold over the counter at pharmacies and health stores. Its effects mimic those of natural melatonin, and it does not suppress our bodies’ production of the natural hormone.
Is melatonin safe for your child?
Melatonin has few side effects in children when used correctly. Those side effects include headaches, morning grogginess, mood changes, and increased bedwetting; and they all go away when the use of melatonin is stopped.
However, there are two areas of concern that are worth your attention. The first is how little we know about the long-term effects of melatonin. A few animal studies have shown that melatonin can affect hormones related to puberty. While we don’t have any evidence to show this to be the case in humans, studies have yet to be conducted.
The second is that the number of pediatric melatonin ingestions reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers is alarmingly on the rise, highlighting the need for safety in how melatonin supplements are packaged and sold. In response to this, the Council for Responsible Nutrition has issued new guidelines calling for melatonin-containing products to be sold in child-deterrent packaging, with a clear label stating that they are to be used intermittently and “under appropriate conditions and guidance.”
Knowing this, let’s discuss whether your child could benefit from melatonin.
Which children benefit from melatonin?
Melatonin can help shorten the time to fall asleep in children who have difficulties doing so. While it can be helpful as a short-term solution, it is also essential to identify the reason why children are having trouble falling asleep in the first place. Is your child experiencing anxiety? Are they losing sleep because they’re sick? Is bedtime too early, or too late? Is their sleep environment, and routine, conducive to them winding down and falling asleep? Before administering melatonin, it is helpful to partner with your pediatrician to conduct a full assessment.
It’s also important to remember that while melatonin can help children fall asleep, it doesn’t help them stay asleep in its traditional formulation.
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as those with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, may sometimes benefit from more long-term use of melatonin.
How should children take it?
If you think your child could benefit from melatonin, the ideal way to take it for most children is short-term, in partnership with your pediatrician, and with healthy, consistent sleep practices — which means avoiding screens, caffeine, large meals before bed, and with a structured routine.
Melatonin works best when taken 30 minutes before bed, and the dosing should be discussed with your pediatrician. It should also be avoided in children before the age of 3.
Best of SheKnows
Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
