When I recently shared this article on my Mama Doc Facebook about a “magic” children’s bedtime story promising to make the going-to-sleep process easier, many parents inquired about melatonin.
No question that supplemental melatonin has a role in children’s sleep dysfunction but also no question that parents are turning to melatonin out of a need for convenience. I’ve had COUNTLESS curbside consults from parents asking me if melatonin is safe to use in the short-term but also for years on end. The short answer is we don’t entirely know because studies just haven’t been done. Often when I get the story of how families are using melatonin, I end up advising changes in the sleep schedule more than a need for meds. What we do know: melatonin can help children fall asleep with sleep dysfunction, sleep dysfunction and inadequate sleep have serious health consequences, and although melatonin only helps with sleep initiation (falling asleep) it can be hugely beneficial for children who lie awake at night for hours at bedtime. The other thing we know: melatonin is not regulated like medicines (it’s overseen as a food supplement) that has been studied in very few pediatric populations so it’s difficult to generalize safety for children everywhere. Lots of definitions, dosing info, and pediatric sleep expertise below.
If your child can fall asleep in about 30 minutes after the lights are out (especially when you have made sure no screen time for 1-2 hours prior, no caffeine in afternoon) then melatonin is unnecessary.
If it were my child I’d use melatonin if sleep dysfunction at bedtime was getting in the way of necessary sleep, but I’d also do everything I could to get them off of it as soon as I could. Many children respond to the hypnotic effect of higher doses of melatonin, but many children are also given it for family convenience, too. In my experience, sometimes families use it to treat anxiety (those kids whose mind spins and spins and spins and worries) at bedtime. Although sometimes melatonin helps kids fall asleep, it’s just a band-aid.
Children are sleeping less than ever before and there are mounting impediments to a good night’s sleep (screens, early school start times, stimulants in the food source, busy school days and activities keeping kids up late). However inconvenient, I think sleep hygiene (routine bed time, no screens before bed, bed used only for sleeping) and consistency with what we do as parents may be the only magic wand to wave for sleep throughout childhood. Awakenings typically rise from all sorts of developmental milestones and changes as children grow. Overnight awakenings will always be normal although how our children get back to sleep on their own changes our night of sleep dramatically. When it comes to challenges falling asleep, sometimes melatonin can really help, especially in children with underlying autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorders, or children with shifted sleep schedules.
Only a few long-term studies have looked at prolonged use and associated effects, but most sleep specialists consider melatonin safe, particularly for occasional short-term use. The bigger question is why parents feel the need to give their child melatonin. –Dr. Maida Chen
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that our brains produce to help regulate sleep and wake cycles. People call it the “sleep hormone” because unlike the parts of body that drive wakefulness, melatonin drives sleepiness. Normally, melatonin levels begin to rise in the late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then drop in the early morning a couple hours before we wake up. Light inhibits melatonin and affects how much melatonin your body produces. Hence why being outside in the light during the day with a newborn (especially the ones who want to party all night) or when switching time zones makes a lot of sense! Getting outside during the day helps teach your brain day versus night. Melatonin typically rises in the late evening for children (around 8pm) and teens — when you give supplements of synthetic melatonin you can sometimes help decrease sleep-onset insomnia. BIG IMPORTANT NOTE: melatonin does not prevent overnight awakenings. So don’t use it to prevent those frustrating 2-am wake-ups.
Melatonin is the hormone that helps your brain chill out and drift off to sleep.
The Melatonin Supplement
The melatonin supplement you find at your local drug store is synthetically produced in factories. Because it’s a supplement and not a medicine it’s not regulated by the FDA like medicines. Therefore inconsistency in dosing is possible (no one can say that one brand’s 1-mg tablet is the same dose as another’s). Melatonin supplements are most commonly used to treat jet lag or sleep problems like insomnia but it’s certainly a supplement that has been discovered the past 10 years. Sales have doubled for melatonin in recent years and therefore it’s far more common in people’s kitchen cabinets than it used to be.
Melatonin Dosing Recommendations
Dr. Chen advises, “There are no clear-cut dosage guidelines because neither melatonin nor any other medication or supplement is approved by the FDA for the purpose of treating insomnia in children. If parents or teens are considering using melatonin, they need to talk to their pediatrician about whether or not it’s necessary, timing of the medication and dosage.”
Most children who benefit from melatonin – even those with diagnoses of ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorders – don’t need more than 3 to 6 mg of melatonin. Some children benefit from as little as 0.5 mg before bedtime. Younger children tend to be given 1 to 3 mg and older children/teens a little more. Start with the lowest dose and work up if you’re not getting the desired effect. While increasing dose, make sure you’re also working on consistent bedtimes, etc.
Dosing: You always want to use the lowest dose of melatonin you can. Many children will respond to a dose 0.5 mg or 1 mg an hour or two prior to bedtime. Some children and teens with significant challenges falling asleep are often given doses as high as 3mg to 6mg with severe insomnia at bedtime but in my experience many children get the hypnotic effect at smaller doses. Always avoid “natural” melatonin (derived from cow or pig brains) and purchase only the man-made synthetic supplement that is far more readily available. Talk with your child’s physician about how to determine a dose if or when melatonin is being used or trialed for sleep dysfunction. Always start with a low dose (0.5mg or 1mg) — then consider increasing by 0.5 mg every few days if your child isn’t falling asleep within an hour of bedtime.
Timing: You want to give melatonin prior to bedtime to help with increasing sleepiness. Most physicians recommend giving about 1-2 hours prior to ideal bedtime when helping little children fall asleep. However, it does depend why and how you plan to use melatonin. Here’s a GREAT video on how melatonin works and when to administer (if you’re using it just for quick sleep onset or re-shifting the clock) from Dr. Craig Canapari — a pediatric sleep expert at Yale. He explains how a dinner time low-dose of melatonin (0.5mg or 1mg) may help more with changing the sleep-wake cycle, while a slightly higher dose prior to bedtime can assist with just falling asleep from the “hypnotic effect.” It can be confusing, so no question this is worth reviewing with your own pediatric provider.
Safety in Toddlers & Young Children
Dr. Maida Chen, who leads the Pediatric Sleep Center summarizes this well, “There have only been a few studies to look at long-term melatonin use and associated effects, but some sleep specialists consider melatonin safe, particularly for occasional short-term use. Often the child has a chronic sleep disorder and melatonin is covering up the underlying symptoms. It can be a slippery slope for families because continuing use of melatonin can delay obtaining more appropriate treatment for the underlying sleep disorder.”
Generally, research finds that supplemental melatonin is not tremendously effective in children who aren’t diagnosed with underlying ADHD or ASD, though some kids get benefit in falling asleep more quickly. I sincerely believe that many young children getting melatonin would do better with improved consistent bedtime routines, strict rules about no emitting devices for 1 hour prior to bedtime (kindle, iPad, tablet, TV, computer). For any child having trouble falling asleep, work to avoid screens and/or dim the screen light in the hours before bedtime.
Children with ADHD and/or autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
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 (based on studies in animals or adults) but without clarity from research it’s always best to get kids off melatonin when you can.
Potency Difference Between Brands
Without FDA regulation dose of melatonin sold in the U.S. isn’t controlled.
Potency varies by brand and even between different batches from the same manufacturer. It’s important to note that many studies using melatonin have been done using pharmaceutical grade melatonin, which is not commercially available in the United States. ~Dr. Maida Chen
Mama Doc Tips & Resources:
- Helping an anxious child at bedtime (quick tip to try)–> VIDEO & quick explanation: Blowing Colors
- Read this fantastic overview of melatonin from pediatric sleep doc, Dr. Craig Canapari
- Try a soothing and consistent bedtime routine (no question data shows this does wonder for sleep, behavior, school, and mood).
- Avoid screen time before bed (that light will impair your body’s natural melatonin spike).
- Avoid sleeping with a smartphone. Data shows small screens are worse for sleep than TV!
Erin Reoyo says
What are your thoughts about tart cherry juice for lower amounts of melatonin? I’m not an advocate for juice for toddlers but would like your thoughts.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
Hi Erin,
Hadn’t heard of the association. Will see if our sleep experts can weigh in. Any data you’ve read or can share?
Marci Miller says
Wow, very informative and thanks for telling us when it is Unnecessary. I did not know the no screen time was for TWO hours before bed either!
Sara says
Great post! My child is 9 years old, and for the past six months she has found it impossible to fall asleep before 2230, despite how tired she is. We have had her on a clean bedtime routine for years, but as she’s gotten older and more anxious about sleep, it’s gotten later and later: no matter what, no screens after 1700, bath at 1930, family time, reading in living room until 2100, then talking in bedroom until 2130, then finally bed. Even so, she cannot fall asleep! I am hesitant to try melatonin, but will call her pediatrician for more info. Glad I found this!
Pam Cote says
Thank you Sara, and Dr. Swanson. I have a 4 year old grand daughter who is believed to be ADHD. We have her most of the week, and have a very hard time getting her down at night. My husband who is 62, and works 40 hour weeks, has resorted to giving her a little bit of Melatonin. on nights that she is still wide awake and running around the house at nearly 10pm. I am against it, but am unable to handle her alone. I am going to try your sleep schedule in l hope to get her Melatonin free as soon as possible. Crossing fingers.
Cathy theriot says
My granddaughter is going on 3 and has a very bad sleeping pattern,like she will go to bed at 12.00 are so wake up during the night then up at 6.30 no later than 7.00 how,was kinda scared of sleeping meds so is melatonin ok for her.
Harmony says
My son is 8 and “rocks” at night. I know it’s a soothing tool for him and it’s not as serious as it use to be. He falls asleep fine, but wakes some nights rocking and banging into the wall or headboard. We’ve done a multitude of things to prevent him from getting hurt. The doctor isn’t concerned, but I feel it’s affecting his sleep quality. Do you think melatonin would be helpful for him? Thank you.
April says
After struggling with bedtime for years – we did the routine, dim lights, no screen time, etc. Nothing worked – it took hours for my son to fall asleep. He has Autism and melatonin works wonders. He falls asleep in less than a half an hour. If he doesn’t get the melatonin he can not fall asleep.
How do we get him off the melatonin and keep him sleeping well?
Ashley says
I’m looking into using it with my nephew. He is 6 years old and very hyperactive. He is not diagnosed and his parents refuse to have him evaluated or placed on medication for his energy levels. He hasn’t had a nap since has was maybe 4 and even those were a struggle. On a typical day, he wakes up at 8:00, goes to school at 9:15, comes home at 4, plays, eats, homework, shower until about 9:30. We get him into his pajamas (often a fight) and try to do calming activites like reading and coloring. He is supposed to be asleep by 10:30, but often stays up until 1 or 2 AM just doing things in his room because he isn’t tired and still wants to play. Even then, he is just as hyper the next day.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
Hi Ashley,
It makes sense to talk with this boy’s pediatrician about a plan for sleep. SLEEP (or lack thereof) can be a huge reason for inattention and challenges with behavior.
Fix the sleep problem, then consider evaluating the challenges with school and attention.
Children of school age need somewhere between 9-10 hours of sleep at night.
Michelle Parr says
He is not getting enough sleep at all. He needs the melatonin.
And he has been needing naps since way before age 4. He needs at least 12 to 14 hours of sleep within a 24 hour period. I would talk with a pediatrician to find out the best options. Lack of sleep will adversely affect his growth, brain development, mental functioning, and can cause major depression as he gets older.
Christine says
We’ve been told not to give it to our son because it is estrogenic. Any truth to that? Could be relevant for adults as well….
HL says
My son has had sleep issues since he was born. He grew to a whooping 30 pounds by 5-6 months after being born normal size, and had a voracious appetite, waking every 2 hours through the night for a VERY long time. I’ve always been a good sleeper, fall asleep easily and suddenly, I was being woken up repeatedly every night to get him food. I’d fall right back asleep but by the third time, I couldn’t. My sleep patterns were so messed up, it changed my mood, my personality and my eating habits. I felt like a zombie and I gained a lot of weight and couldn’t get it off. As my son grew older, his demand for sustenance grew in kind, and by 2 years old he screamed for milk all day and all night. We went through at least a half gallon but closer to nearly a gallon a day to every two days. This did not settle down until he was 4 years old, which is the first time I was able to sleep for any consecutive period of time lasting more than two hours again. Unfortunately, now that he’d get through the night, I’d wake and have trouble getting back to sleep. It was like I just didn’t know how to sleep anymore. Fast forward to my son being 10 years old: he’s super smart and beautiful, but he’s impossible to settle down at night, it’s like wrestling an elephant, and he often outlasts my husband and I in our attempts to get him to sleep. He flip flops, gets up, wants to eat continuously or talk. He doesn’t get up in the morning, or I have to drag him out of bed and send him to school extremely tired and grumpy. The school complains that he’s hyperactive, inattentive and causes chaos distracting other students in his extreme silliness. Then there’s the little fact that my husband and I haven’t had a normal evening as a couple since our son was born (our older son slept through the night at 6 weeks old and has been putting himself to sleep easily for 15 years now). I am now homeschooling my 10 year old because the cycle we were in with the school was not only stressful beyond belief, but insane. However, in allowing my son to get the sleep he needs [he will sleep 10-12 hours if not woken] — he continues to be impossible at night. He just doesn’t have a shut off button, there is no self regulation. WELL, LAST NIGHT I BROKE DOWN AND WENT TO CVS AND GOT ZARABEE’S MELATONIN FOR KIDS. I have always been someone who errs on the side of caution and though it was suggested to me to give my son melatonin before, I was afraid of the possible long terms side effects, if anyone. But desperation finally set in. So last night, I gave him 3 mg (or 3 pills) and within 15-20 minutes, I had myself a different child. He wasn’t just sleepy; he was calm, cooperative, self regulating. He took himself off the computer, he got himself ready for bed, he put himself TO bed, and once he laid his head down to the pill, he was OUT LIKE A LIGHT!! He woke up this morning ON HIS OWN!! He took a bath, and clipped his own nails! He ate a healthy breakfast happily, and began his spelling lesson ON HIS OWN!! Usually he fidgets and needs me to hover over and do it along with him. So now I’m thinking, hey –COULD MY SON HAVE A MELATONIN DEFICIENCY, if there is such a thing?! While I had been blaming most of the behavior on either lack of sleep or possible ADHD — truth is, my son has been sleeping 10-12 hours a night for last two weeks (once he does finally fall asleep that is, which can take HOURS) but still he wakes up irritable, hyper and uncooperative. This melatonin experience, even though, only one day so far, has been nothing short of a dramatic change. Not just for getting him to sleep but it seems to have changed his own demeanor, even this morning when he woke up. IIT MAKES ME THINK — WHY have I never heard of a melatonin deficiency before? I have only ever heard about ADHD?! Could a child have melatonin deficiency and be misdiagnosed as ADHD? Because let’s face it — there is no definite, biological test for ADHD, and yet there should be a definite test for melatonin production, right? I can’t help but immediately feel there’s yet another scam perpetuated by the medical community to push their damn medications [ritalin and the kind] onto the public because they want to make money. Come on, we know “healing” is not the motivation. The info on melatonin is confusing: it scares you that it could cause depression if used, and yet what if without it, you have depression anyway? One thing is certain, no big pharma company is going to make huge money on melatonin, so they would disregard it even if they know it could HEAL and CURE.
KB says
Yes, nobody really wants to help 10 year olds who are out of control and I’m sure that big pharma never assumed you had tried everything possible to get your kid to sleep in 10 long years before pushing their money making drugs on you. You’re probably also right about them not having any money in the supplement market.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
I didn’t make any claims about pharma.
Sleep challenges are complex, as are treatment plans to help families support their children’s sleep, and their own. Most of the time we never use any medicines or supplements at all when a child struggles with sleep.
Kera says
Oh wow, you’re story is very insightful. I’ve been very hesitant to give melatonin to my child. We are a plant based family and have been for over 15 years. I’m experiencing sleep challenges with 2 year old whom was recently “diagnosed” with autism. He’s receiving therapy for sensory processing/self regulation and we’re seeing much progress. However, his breast feeding attachment and sleep problems “frustrate” me. I’ve thought that once he weans, we’d have better nights. Yet now I wonder if the use of melatonin will lead to an improved sleep pattern and less dependency on breastfeeding.
You’re story is inspiring because your mental process of this matter is similar to mine. Not all people/parents question “medical opinions” or analyze the unanswered/un-asked questions like — “could this be a lack of melatonin production v. adhd/autism diagnosis”. Give thanks for being raw & open!!!
HeidiK says
Is it better to use the melatonin regularly (say for two weeks) for a given time period and then stop or to use intermittently? I’ve recently started using the melatonin supplement with my children because they just don’t turn off their brains at bedtime. We try to use it on the weekend nights so that they can take full advantage (although they tend to wake up fully refreshed at normal school time anyway). But a friend suggested it would be better to do a two week straight cycle. We only do half the recommended dose because that is enough.
Kim R Murphy says
Is 50 mg of melatonin too much for a 3 yr old toddler
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
Typical doses, as detailed in the post, for melatonin are 1mg and up to 6 mg by mouth, 30 minutes before sleep.
Adam says
50 mg is WAY too much. That would be 10 of the largest standard pill you can generally find. Most adults find that a single Trader Joe’s brand chewable will suffice, which is 1% of 50 mg (each pill is 500 mcg, which = 0.5 mg).
stacy says
50mg!!! Are u kidding right now?! A grown 300 pound man should not take 50mg. Ur 3 year old should start with .05, or 1mg pill, then not even go over 3mg, i personally think. If 3mg does not work at that age, it probably WON’T work. PLEASE tell me u have never given a child 50mg of melatonin. My God…….
Rich says
Is 10 mg of melatonin ok for my 6 yr old she took that insead of her normal 5 mg I was not sure if that was ok
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
Dosing guidelines and instructions for melatonin supplementes, as discussed in the post, to my knowledge don’t exceed a dose over 6 mg in children. Unsure that MORE would HELP.
Audrey says
My doctor recommended 3 mg for my 6 year old pharmacy told me never use 5 mg or more on children!!
Cal says
I came across this post in a search for the recommended melatonin dosage for kids, but after reading it I realize that melatonin may not be the answer to our problems. My 10 year old goes through periods when she wakes up at 3am and simply cannot go back to sleep for at least 1 hour. She is very frustated and anxious during these episodes and will go down a “vortex of doom” during which she will progressively get more and more fearfull, cry and just loose it. Last year she went through such a period, and the pediatrician prescribed a low dose of sertraline to help with her anxiety. At the time she was being bullied in school. She had a couple of sessions with a psychologist, the issues disapeared over the summer vacation and she was weaned off the meds. Now I see ourselves in the same situation again, and I would like to find something to help her sleep while we try to address the underlying issues. We have tried chloraphenamine at bed time, and also magnesium, in the hope that it will relax her and make her drowsy enough to sleep through the night, but don’t think it is working. We had three nights this week with issues of being awake and feeling dreadful for 1 to 2 hours. She needs to wake up at 6.30am to go to school, and so it is very hard that she is not having a restfull night’s sleep. (She goes to bed between 8.30 and 9.00pm). How can I help her?? I feel the doctor will recommend sertraline again.
tonya says
hi i have my 7 year old grandson and he is ADHD and takes meds morning noon and night and i am so sick of pushing pills down him is there any help as for me giving him the melatonin more than just at night if i don’t give him meds he rocks all night and day
Julie says
I’m so hoping to get a response. I am in desperate need of help. My daughter is almost 3 and is taking forever to fall asleep at night. She wakes up around 6:30-7, takes an hour to an hour and a half nap most often around 10:30-11, and then bedtime is around 7-7:30. She and her 5yr old brother share a room and she disturbs him because she stays awake long after they both should be sleeping. I’ve tried many things but if I give her as little as just half of a milligram, she is asleep within 30 minutes of being put to bed. We always have the same bedtime routine, I rock her in a dark, cool room after reading some stories and yet without that small amount, it can take until 9pm to get her to fall asleep. She shows signs of being tired at 6:30-7 when we start reading and slowing down. Also, one thing to add is I’m not sure if this would still have any effect on her but at 16 months I lost my husband, their father, to an accident. I don’t think it should change anything for her but as a single, grieving mom, I desperately need the break at bedtime. But obviously, I want to do what’s best for them as well.
AJ says
Can I try giving melatonin to my 21 month old daughter with GERD?
She hasn’t slept longer than 3 hours her entire life, and neither have I.
Recent barium test confirm that stomach content leaks into her esophagus when she lies down.
She can’t take PPI’S because of horrible reactions. I just read studies suggesting melatonin helps the stomach valve work properly and hopefully with this plus sleep benefits of melatonin -she could get a break?
Jennifer Farrell says
What about use in a child experiencing PTSD? Which brand do you recommend as there are so many choices and the labeling is confusing and doesn’t seem accurate. Thank you.
Burcu Kaplan says
Thank you so much for the post. I was wondering whether there are cases where a child’s brain is not producing enough melatonin, and that could be the reason why s/he is not falling asleep easily at night. If there are indeed such cases, how is it diagnosed?
Kristy Ballard says
My son has Autism and ever since he was diagnosed has been struggling with sleep for years. I don’t use pharma drugs and I refuse I only use vitamins and natural supplements. Me and my husband were struggling for years on end my son would not nap. He would sometimes not go to bed until 4 or 5 am and have to get up for school at 7 am. Sometimes he would go to bed at 12 and wake up all hours of the night and not fall back asleep until 3-5 am. I didn’t know what to do so I started looking into this i’m so glad I did. Started giving my son 2.5 mg his dr said I can give 3 mg but i don’t think he needs it he has been sleeping the whole night he is 4. He has been in a better mood as well!! Yesterday when I gave it he was out within half an hour I was in shock. He was in bed before 9 pm never in his life has this happened.
matt minde says
Interesting discussion! Heard a TED talk recently (NPR’s TED Radio Hour, “Simple solutions to complex problems”) on the extraordinary benefits of sleep, specifically for teens. Problem is, apparently, that teenagers — unlike preadolescents and adults — release melatonin about two hours later than needed to fall asleep properly, which explains teenagers’ proclivity to stay up way too late. I found this discussion with the idea of adjusting my two adolescents’ sleep schedule, so that they sleep better, earlier, and are able to rise earlier. My son has had great difficulty getting to school on time, and my daughter’s headed in the similar direction. I am reluctant to give medication and/or supplements, but wonder if supplementing 2–4 mg melatonin in the evening would help resetting their body clocks and allow for better, deeper sleep. This delayed-melatonin release phenomenon seems like relatively recent research, and seems to make a lot of sense. But as my wife pointed out, there may be a reason for that, especially in those critical developmental years. Of course, there’s always the light emitted by the ubiquitous screens, which may affect natural melatonin production. Any comments would be greatly appreciated!
Ashley Jensen says
My son is 2 1/2 and has a horrible sleep habit, I put him to bed at 9:00pm and he wakes up around 10:45-11:00 and refuses to go back to sleep till 4:00 in the morning I bought Melatonin gummies with 2.5 mg and gave it to him last night but he only slept for 3 hours should I give him another dose or is one enough?
Allie says
Hi my son is 8 and I give him 5mg and still find it that he fights to go to sleep at night and is up by 530 6 and then falling asleep in class. I don’t know what to do
Jes says
My 2 yr old found melatonin on the floor and of course I didn’t know that it was that at the time I realized he was eating something I got it out of his mouth I got almost half of it I was able to recognize what it was by looking at it and then looking it up to make sure and now he’s passed out cold and it was at 3mg I don’t know if I should call Poison Control is everything okay with him I know it’s a natural pill but it was a three and he’s only two and he’s never taken anything like this before so I’m just a little nervous about what to do
Stacey Ulacia says
If you are EVER concerned about medication ingestion, dosing issues, etc., don’t ever hesitate to call poison control for help (they are around 365, 24/7): 1-800-222-1222.
Kristie says
I’ve actually learned a lot of things from reading this informative article and all of the comments that followed. Thank y’all so much for taking the time to share. I’m working on my 1 and 2 year olds bedtime routine, again. After surgery and the move, routines are slightly upset. I’m definitely gonna implement melatonin about 2 hours before bedtime. Is it safe to start both my boys out at 1mg? Again, they are 1 year and 2 years old. I figure start low and increase by .05mg after about 3days if the 1mg doesn’t work. I’m praying this helps. Both of my boys are precious and loved, but I’m one tired Momma! No steady nights sleep (solid rest in other words) for two years. I don’t wanna knock my kiddos out, I just want them to fall asleep and get a good night’s rest. That way I can too.
Oh yeah, for anyone else interested in this other natural way to help your kiddos sleep, bananas. I just found an article that says they will help make your baby sleepy, fall asleep, and stay asleep. So I was thinking melatonin 2 hours before bed, and then a banana (half of one) maybe an hour before bed. Any other tips out there? I’m open to advice.
Amy says
My daughter is 1yr old and I gave her .05mg tonight. Trying out for the first time so far she fell asleep within less than 30 minutes, she’s snoring right about now. I hope this works. She’s been waking up (5) times at night… it’s been difficult.
Sheri says
I have an 8 yr old daughter whose always been the perfect sleeper bed at 7 pm up at 5am. On Nov 29 of 2017 my 8 yr old found my oldest daughter dead and since that day she doesn’t sleep she’s in counseling but my youngest daughter says she can’t close her eyes cause she sees her sister. Would melatonin help her to doze off and go to sleep she’s going on average of 3 hrs asleep every 2 days and she’s in a very bad way now
HHan says
I found many parents having similar situation here. My son is now 9 but has always been a troubled sleeper since toddler. He will yawn and says that he is sleepy but will not be able to fall asleep for an hour. He also has frequent awakenings at night that lasts 10 to 30 minutes, a few times through out the night. When he was small, he would wake us up and my sleep was so disruptive that I started to have similar problems myself. I used to sleep like a rock. I have tried everything except for drugs. We stick to regular bedtimes and routine, no screen two hours prior. Nothing seemed to have helped. Now I am considering melatonin, especially when he is sick, since he is not able to get adequate sleep, it takes him weeks to recover from a cold.
Brittany says
So my 4 year old took and extra pill and had a total of 7mg tonight is that okay ?
Honey j says
I’m having a problem my daughter is 5 and she’s been on a very low dose of melotonim for over a year I recently took her off of it and she can not get tired she goes to bed at 1 am this isn’t normal what can I do instead of melotonim to get my child to sleep
Kumar Pandian says
Hi . I have a 2.5years old who seldom sleeps.
And when she’s sleepy, sje always look to mom for nursing. ALWAYS nurses to sleep, no other way in her lifetime.
She is active through the day and never wants to sleep, never sleeps on her own choice.
And now its getting worse, she wakes up every 30 mins at night to nurse even though not for the milk.
Its getting very frustrating because during day she is a well behaved kid but at night she becomes very adamant and cranky due to this.
We suspect she doesn’t know how to fall asleep.
Please let me know if melatonin is suitable for her age. 2.5 years old.
Niury Simo says
I have a 4 year old daughter I have been trying to put her in a sleep routine for the past 2 years but its been almost impossible. She used to sleep better before she turned 2. We used to sleep her on a rocking chair but for the last month we are putting her on her crib and wait there till she falls at sleep by herself, it takes approximately half an hour for her to go to sleep but she wakes up during the night every hour or sometimes every 2 hours. Do you think Melatonin will help her sleep throughout the night or at least to wake up less often?
Maxine Turner says
My 5 year old took a 10 mg melatonin is he going to be OK is there any concerns that I should be aware of
Nootrimentco says
Hi Wendy,
Actually, I Saw your Post It’s really Helpful for my children. My Son Noah, 10 Years old. He affected Sleeping Disorder. Last 2 years I Did Monitor my Son. He has not slept in the night time and morning he very frustrated and tired. So Suddenly I Consult with my Doctor. They gave some Counseling to my son. But It’s not that much effective. So melatonin will help with my son. Is it Melatonin safe?
Walter Tom Loughney says
In reply to HL above. There are actually tests that can be done with MRI brain scans that will show the presence of ADHD activity. But that is very expensive. Thousands of dollars and not covered by insurance. And the Doctors qualified to analyze those scans are mostly in research hospitals and not at your local lab. The typical solution is to give a dose of Ritalin or Focalin or other derivatives and see if it produces results. Results from the meds show up in less than an hour. Much cheaper and covered by most insurances.
The idea of a Melatonin deficiency is interesting, and certainly possible. That is something that is not normally tested for. It is possible to test for almost any chemical, vitamin, hormone, etc in the body. Finding a lab that can do the test and getting insurance coverage for it might be difficult but I would start with your Pediatrician and follow their suggestion. I think it is unlikely but would not rule out the possibility.
The whole “thing” with Melatonin started back about 1995 with the book “The Melatonin Miracle” which has been revised and updated a few times. It was touted as a “wonder drug” (or food supplement) but there was a lot of hype. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary. I took it for a number of years, it was beneficial with sleeping better. But when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and started using a CPAP machine, I slept much, much better. Generally they don’t recommend people with sleep apnea use Melatonin and I have not used it for years now.
APPOLLONIA says
Hi, my Concern is I had two Children and my daughter had a son ,so my thing is why is it certain people are so quick to use this on small children? Why is it my parent’s and myself never ever had to have sleep medicine to put a child to sleep at night.I just don’t get it and now my Daughter in law is trying to use this on my grandaughter .I dont get what u all r doing that cause the children not to fall asleep, and the funny thing is my daughter in law is Cacusian also but when I keep my grandchild she goes to sleep at 8:30 and sleeps till 7am so I really do not get it especially after my mother said she never had this issue either .
Ronillie Nique says
Hi, I’m 15 year old and I have trouble sleeping so I was wondering if 10mg of melatonin is okay to take
Traci Master says
I have similar story to the person with the 10 yr old – When I give melatonin to my highly wired child who has never slept well in his life- he gets off his xbox on his own and puts himself in bed and goes to sleep! This in itself is remarkable. He still wakes up thru the night
Pamela says
I am 58 years old and cannot sleep could do you have something for Adults?
April Vandriel says
My son is seen for seizures at Seattle children’s hospital.. he’s 8 months old and sleeps no more than 3 hours of broken sleep in a 24 hour period.. I can’t keep going like this.. we were hoping he would grow out of it.. but I’m exhausted… It starting to effect my health.. I need him to start sleeping more.. and it’s making me depressed and him cranky.. I don’t know how to help him