What Are Melatonins Side Effects On Kids
Potential, though mild, side effects of melatonin use in children include agitation, headache, dizziness and drowsiness. While it is not known for sure and more research on the long term use of melatonin in children is needed, its important to remember that melatonin is a hormone, and, as such, there is a possibility that it may affect hormonal development, including puberty and menstrual cycles.2
The Bottom Line
If your child occasionally has trouble falling asleep, instilling better sleep habits and routines might be in order. But if your child experiences significant difficulty falling asleep, melatonin might benefit, especially when its used in combination with behavioral interventions and healthy sleep practices.5
Most importantly, talk with your childs pediatrician before giving them melatonin to make sure its right for them, to understand the proper dosage, and to rule out any underlying health issues.
Continue to check back on the Nature Madeblog for the latest science-backed articles to help you take ownership of your health.
This information is only for educational purposes and is not medical advice or intended as a recommendation of any specific products. Consult your health care provider for more information.
References
1 Mayo Clinic. Melatonin. March 30, 2018. Accessed on: September 23, 2020.
Parents Are Relying On Melatonin To Help Their Kids Sleep Should They
A survey suggests that nearly half of children with difficulty sleeping have taken melatonin.
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For the Langstaff family, the bedtime routine had become more like a bedtime marathon.
My son has struggled with sleep from the moment he was born, Anna Langstaff, the head of a Montessori school in Portland, Ore., said of her 6-year-old son, Henry. We used to joke that he was like a little knight fighting a dragon called sleep.
When Henry was a toddler, dimming the lights and other bedtime cues simply sent him into battle mode she said. Hed start yelling, No bed! No bed!
After years of struggling with what had become a two-hour bedtime routine, the Langstaffs turned to their pediatrician, who recommended a chocolate containing melatonin, a hormone secreted by a pea-size organ in the brain called the pineal gland that helps regulate the bodys internal clock and induces sleepiness.
It was like magic, she said. Now Henry falls asleep at 7:30 p.m. and continues to wake up at the same time he always has, shortly before 6 a.m., Langstaff said.
Magic game changer these are words frequently used by parents describing how melatonin helps their children fall asleep.
Pretx Pediatric Research In Emergency Therapeutics
Child Health Update is produced by the Pediatric Research in Emergency Therapeutics program at the BC Childrens Hospital in Vancouver, BC. Dr Janjua is a member and Dr Goldman is Director of the PRETx program. The mission of the PRETx program is to promote child health through evidence-based research in therapeutics in pediatric emergency medicine.
Do you have questions about the effects of drugs, chemicals, radiation, or infections in children? We invite you to submit them to the PRETx program by fax at 604 875-2414 they will be addressed in future Child Health Updates. Published Child Health Updates are available on the Canadian Family Physician website .
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Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Proper sleep hygiene can also improve sleep quality and quantity. Research shows that good sleep hygiene alone can eliminate pediatric insomnia in 50% of the instances in which melatonin is suggested for treatment. The combination of sleep hygiene and melatonin is more effective at improving sleep in children than melatonin alone.
A bedtime routine at a consistent time each night provides comfort to help your child fall asleep. Your bedtime routine can include soothing activities such as taking a bath and reading a book or singing lullabies.
Experts also recommend that parents limit their childrens use of electronics in the hours before bedtime. The blue light from devices, such as phones, tablets, TVs, and video game consoles, can delay the onset of natural melatonin release.
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Those Who Are Pregnant Or Breastfeeding
There is not enough information available on the side effects of melatonin supplements to determine if pregnant or breastfeeding people can safely take these supplements. Those who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should avoid melatonin supplements unless directed by their physician. If you are struggling with sleep, ask your doctor for other ways to improve sleep during pregnancy.
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Things To Know About Melatonin For Kids
Melatonin does help kids fall asleepbut its not appropriate for every child.
If youve never heard of melatonin for kids, then you probably arent someone who searches the internet for solutions to your kids sleep problems.
Barely talked about among parents even just a decade ago, melatonin is quickly becoming a go-to sleep solution for kids. Its easily accessible, and is being promoted as a sleep aid, says Burlington, Ont.-based sleep consultant Alanna McGinn. Health Canada classifies melatonin as a natural health product, which means you can buy it at the pharmacy or a health food store, without a prescription. Youll find it in the same spot you pick up your vitamin D or iron supplements.
With moms in Facebook groups championing the benefits and many paediatricians giving it the A-OK, youre bound to wonder if it might just be that miracle fix youve been hoping for when it comes to your kids sleep. Heres what you should know.
Melatonin Guidelines For Kids
Dont incorporate melatonin into your childs bedtime routine permanently only use it on a limited basis . If your child cant swallow pills, consider melatonin gummies. Read the ingredients label, because some gummy supplements contain a lot of sugar or corn syrup.
Before deciding to use melatonin for your childs sleep, be sure to speak with a pediatrician or sleep medicine specialist, who can advise you on:
- what age you can start giving your child melatonin
- the best time and frequency to give your child melatonin
- the dosage thats appropriate for your child
- any reasons why your child should not take melatonin
Keep melatonin hidden and out of reach, so that any children in your home who enjoy gummy candy arent tempted to snack on the supplements.
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How Much Melatonin Should You Take As An Adult
Quick Health Scoop
- Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the body.
- Melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythmyour internal clock that regulates the sleep/wake cycle.
- As a 100% drug-free sleep supplement, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster.
- The proper melatonin dosage depends on your age and specific sleep issue.
If youve ever struggled to fall asleepor stay asleepyou might have considered taking a sleep aid product. While traditional over-the-counter or prescription sleeping pills have been around for decades, theyre actually considered medications that can have serious long-term side effects if overused or abused, including memory problems and mental and behavioral disorders.1 These medications can also be addictive to a point where you may become dependent on them to sleep, with a potential worsening of sleep issues when these pills are discontinued. Thats why many people turn to melatonin, a 100% drug-free sleep supplement. But you may wonder, what, exactly, is melatonin? And when and how much melatonin should you take?
Learn More: Everything You Need to Know About Melatonin
Can Cnas Work In Childrens Hospitals
As a pediatric CNA, youll be working in medical facilities that care for children. These include specialty childrens hospitals, pediatric wings of general hospitals, clinics, rehab centers for kids and home healthcare agencies. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says median pay for CNAs runs $29,660.
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Side Effects Of Melatonin
Melatonin is considered relatively safe for short-term use and has few risks. However, some children who take melatonin supplements may experience mild symptoms. These symptoms may include bedwetting, drowsiness, headaches, and agitation.
Currently, there is little research on the long-term effects of melatonin use in children. Some experts question if melatonin, because it is a hormone, can affect other hormonal development in adolescents. Further research must be conducted to more clearly understand the long-term effects of melatonin on children.
How Does Melatonin Work
Before you consider bedtime supplements as a parent, you should understand sleep cycles. Here’s how they work: Our brain starts releasing melatonina hormone produced in the pineal glandas it gets dark at night to help us fall asleep. In the morning, when we need to wake up, the melatonin mostly shuts off. Essentially, melatonin works by regulating your circadian rhythm, also known as your “internal clock.”
Supplements are a synthetic form of natural melatonin, and they usually make kids tired within 30 minutes. They’re available over-the-counter as gummies, pills, liquids, or chewable tablets. Research shows that melatonin supplements can help children who have autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders fall asleep faster, and a few studies have shown similar effects in typically developing kids.
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Children With Adhd And/or Autism Spectrum Disorders
Children with ADHD and/or autism spectrum disorder are known to have challenges falling asleep. Studies with melatonin have been done in these populations of children. Dr. Chen explains,
More trials of melatonin for sleep difficulties have been done in children with ADHD or ASD than studies for typically developing children. Evidence from these trials suggests that melatonin is safe and does shorten the length of time it takes to fall asleep. However, the effects are not generally overwhelming and not every child who takes melatonin shows sleep improvement. The studies mostly evaluate short-term use only.
Most worries about long-term use and safety are speculative but without clarity from research its always best to get kids off melatonin when you can.
What To Know About Dietary Supplements And Safety
The FDA classifies melatonin as a dietary supplement, meaning that its regulated less strictly than a regular drug. For dietary supplements, label claims and product safety dont have to meet FDA approval before theyre marketed.
A 2017 study of 31 different melatonin supplements found that the actual melatonin content of 71 percent of the products didnt match the claim on the label. Additionally, 26 percent of products contained serotonin, which can be potentially harmful even in small doses.
When shopping for melatonin supplements, look for products that are USP verified. United States Pharmacopeia is an independent organization that works to ensure proper quality and dosing of dietary supplements.
- confusion or disorientation
- low blood pressure
If you experience side effects from melatonin, stop taking it and speak with your doctor. They may recommend using a lower dose or trying out an alternative medication or sleep aid.
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Melatonin Could Help Kids With Adhd And Autism
Kids with attention disorders and autism commonly develop sleep problems that can be helped with melatonin. Additionally, medication used to treat ADHD can lead to difficulty falling asleep. That was the case for Jackie Botman,* whose son has ADHD. The eight-year-olds medication was keeping him up until 9:30 or laterhe was wired and couldnt settle down. He was resistant to calming down and having quiet time. He became chronically tired, says Botman, who lives in Toronto. Now her son takes a 5 mg dose of melatonin when hes brushing his teeth, then gets into bed and falls asleep in a reasonable amount of time.
Although Cummings agrees that melatonin can help kids with ADHD or autism, he says the downside is that theres a high relapse rate: Once you take your kid off melatonin, they are almost guaranteed to go back to having difficulty sleeping. It sets up a situation where those kids, to function well in life and in school, may need to use the melatonin on a longer-term basis, says Cummings.
Is Melatonin Safe For Kids
While plenty of studies shows that melatonin is safe for adults to take on a short-term basis, the safety of long-term use isnt quite clear. And not much research has been done on whether its safe for children to take. However, recently, there has been some promising research showing that short-term use of melatonin is effective and well-tolerated in treating difficulty falling asleep in children and adolescents.3 Other research shows that melatonin may be especially helpful for children with conditions that can impact their ability to fall asleep, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism.4 Melatonins use in these circumstances should be discussed and carefully monitored by your childs pediatrician.4
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that melatonin should only be used after talking with your childs pediatrician and after using already established healthy sleep habits and routines that dont include medication.4
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How To Help Kids Sleepwithout Melatonin
Before considering gummy, chewable, capsule, or liquid melatonin for kids, you might want to try other methods to help them sleep. If the issue persists, though, talk to your pediatrician for next steps.
Find the root cause of restlessness. If your child is having trouble settling down, ask yourself why. Are they worried about something? Is their bedtime too early? Perhaps they have sleep apnea or restless legs? Pinpointing the cause can help you find an effective solution.
Go to bed at the same time each night. While kids might fight against a set bedtime, having a predictable sleep schedule can regulate their internal clock.
Create a bedtime routine. Help your child relax before bed with meditation, music, reading, or other soothing activities. “What the actual routines are can be specific to your child and his or her age, but they should occur each night around the same time,”according to the AAP. “This will help your child understand that it’s time to settle down and get ready to sleep.”
Limit technology before bed. Stop using screens at least an hour before bed .
Get enough sleep. Aim to have your child get ten to 12 hours of sleep each night to prevent over-tiredness.
You Can Encourage The Release Of Natural Melatonin In Your Kid
Melatonin is released by our pineal glands in response to darkness as a part of our circadian rhythm. There are things you can do to help your kids sleep cycle get on track so that natural melatonin gets released at bedtime. Having a dark sleep environment, a consistent bedtime and limiting screens and snacks before bed all naturally promote melatonin and bring on sleep, says McGinn.
These types of sleep practices are called sleep hygieneand Cummings says he would never recommend melatonin as a replacement for these practices. We are in an age where families are often looking for a quick fix, he says. But not everything needs a pill to get better.
*Names have been changed
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What Is Melatonin What Does Melatonin Do
Melatonin is a hormone which is naturally produced by the pineal gland in your brain. It is both a chronobiotic agent, meaning that it regulates your circadian or body clock and a hypnotic, meaning that at higher doses it may induce sleep. Melatonin is usually used for its hypnotic effect, but it does not have this effect in everyone. Only the chronobiotic effect occurs in all individuals.The natural rise of melatonin levels in the body 1-3 hours before sleep onset is known as the dim light melatonin onset . This is the signal involved in body clock scheduling of sleep and corresponds to the end of the wakefulness signal produced by the circadian system. Children with insomnia may be given melatonin after their scheduled bedtime passes what this means is that their bodies are not yet ready for sleep. This is one reason why bedtime fading can be so effective for some children. The doses used clinically greatly exceed the amount secreted in the body.
There are a few things to be aware of:
Heres a short video I put together to explain how when you give the melatonin dose really matters. .
Is It Safe To Take Melatonin Every Night
Unfortunately, theres no straight answer here, which youre probably hoping for. There isnt any evidence proving conclusively that long-term use of melatonin is safe. Though the supplement is generally not associated with dependency, habituation, or hangover symptoms, Dr. Kohli says she doesnt suggest taking melatonin every night because of the lack of long-term clinical trials evaluating the safety of chronic use.
At the same time, there isnt any evidence proving nightly melatonin use isnt safe. Dr. Bollu points out that melatonin is a natural hormone that fluctuates in our bodies on a daily basis anyway, meaning it may be safer than taking a prescription drug.
However, thats a double-edged sword: Because melatonin supplements arent medications, they arent regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . Theres no guarantee about the quality of the product youre purchasing or the quantity of ingredients claimed on the label, unlike prescription drugs. A pharmacist or nutritionist may be able to help you find a product produced by a reputable manufacturer.
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Melatonin Dosage For Children
Short-term use of melatonin in small doses appears to be safe and well-tolerated by most children. The effective dosage for children ranges from 0.05 milligrams per kilogram to 5 milligrams of melatonin. When children experience side effects from taking melatonin, theyre typically mild and may include:
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Medical professionals may recommend melatonin for children with conditions that affect their sleep, such as insomnia, autism spectrum disorder, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Several studies have shown melatonin supplements can significantly improve overall sleep times by 25 minutes to 48 minutes, on average, for children with these conditions.
However, there havent been enough studies of melatonin in children for experts to determine an official recommended dosage or any potential long-term safety risks. Since melatonin is a hormone, its possible that taking supplemental melatonin could affect other aspects of hormone development in children, but further research is needed.
If your child is having sleep problems, experts recommend consulting your doctor before giving them melatonin. Research indicates that for half of the cases where melatonin was used to treat pediatric insomnia, better sleep habits were just as effective at relieving the childs sleep problems.