Melatonin for children — 5 things to know

Your child’s lack of sleep is beginning to affect her school performance. You’ve tried to establish a consistent bedtime, to no avail. You’re half-crazy with sleep deprivation yourself tending to her insomnia. You’ve heard melatonin — a natural hormone — can help. Perhaps your pediatrician has already recommended it. But is it really beneficial, and can your child take it safely? Thriving checked in with Dr. Judith Owens, director of the Sleep Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, and her answer is: Probably. But we don’t really know for sure. What is melatonin? The melatonin available over the counter at drug and health food stores is a synthetic form of a hormone our brains naturally produce to help us fall asleep. Our own melatonin helps regulate the circadian clocks that control not only our sleep/wake cycles but virtually every function of our bodies. Melatonin is normally released in the evening, stimulated by darkness. In the morning and during the day, it’s largely shut off. Can melatonin help my child sleep? There is good scientific evidence melatonin can shorten the time to fall asleep in children with insomnia, including children with ADHD, autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. But there is much less evidence melatonin helps children stay asleep, even in its extended-release forms. There are many reasons why children may have trouble falling asleep; anxiety, restless legs symptoms or a too-early bedtime are just a few. Before considering...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Ask the Expert Kids' Safety Judith Owens melatonin sleep Source Type: news