Do you give melatonin every night?

[Anonymous]

7 year old cannot sleep, gets up a couple times in the night. We started giving melatonin on occasion but she is getting worse, can you give it every night? Is it addicting?

[Anonymous]

I have taken melatonin to help me sleep and when it was getting worse- ie I would not fall back asleep in the middle of the night, I did research and see that with the pill you overproduce melatonin at first when you take the pill, and then when your body needs to produce more to stay asleep your body can no longer produce the amounts you need. Make sense sort of? I think like anything melatonin is not a substitute for resolving the underlying problems causing the problem. Why does your child need it?

[Anonymous]

Oh great. Perfect message to send a seven year old; if you can't sleep take drugs.

[Anonymous]

My 9 year old takes melatonin every night and has been for 2 years. It's only 1 mg but it works great and I don't see any side effects except sleeping. My understanding is that it's natural and basically ok to give kids. I wouldn't if I didn't have to, but I can't be up to midnight every night

[Anonymous]

I would consult your doctor, OP. We give melatonin occasionally, but kids need to learn how to sleep on their own. There may be something you can do in your routine to help her - exercise or a hot bath before bedtime, more physical activity in general, etc. I agree that you need to address the underlying factors and not just rely on the melatonin. For example, my child slept way better after getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea and having his tonsils and adenoids removed. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I've read that melatonin is good for jet lag, but magnesium is better for regular insomnia. I'd try the magnesium first as it is not a hormone. (Natural Calm, magnesium citrate available at Whole Foods, gets good reviews.) With regard to melatonin, I've heard that, counterintuitively, less--like 0.5 mg-- can be more effective.

[Anonymous]

Our pediatrician said 1 mg. at 8:00 p.m. for 9:00 bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh great. Perfect message to send a seven year old; if you can't sleep take drugs.

We drug our kids for almost any reason (or maybe no good reason).

50 years ago, we didn't drug kids at anything like the rates today. Many other countries don't drug like we do.

One thing is certain though: drug company profits.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried warm milk with honey?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh great. Perfect message to send a seven year old; if you can't sleep take drugs.

We drug our kids for almost any reason (or maybe no good reason).

50 years ago, we didn't drug kids at anything like the rates today. Many other countries don't drug like we do.

One thing is certain though: drug company profits.

You got that right. Heaven forbid we should actually have them exercise more to make them really tired, for example, or just tell them that they will go to bed at 9:00 every night, stay there until 7:00 a.m. the next morning, and that's the end of it. I mean, it might upset their feelings.

[Anonymous]

Tincture of opium was rubbed on the gums of teething children even in the second half of the last century.

I am pretty sure in those days and earlier it was considered acceptable to give a child a small sip of alcohol when sleeping was a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried warm milk with honey?

This really work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tincture of opium was rubbed on the gums of teething children even in the second half of the last century.

I am pretty sure in those days and earlier it was considered acceptable to give a child a small sip of alcohol when sleeping was a problem.

Know where I can pick up some opium tinctures? I'm willing to try anything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried warm milk with honey?

This really work?

no

[Anonymous]

I admittedly dont know anything about melatonin in children but I take it myself. I work nightshift and was having a horrible time sleeping during the day. This was seriously life changing for me. I'm now able to sleep much better.