Reply to Is 6 mg of melatonin unsafe for a 47lb child?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][url]https://www.npr.org/2022/06/03/1102933012/melatonin-poisoning-kids-sleep-aid-overdose[/url]

It is also highly ineffective and not studied to be safe for children in the long-term. stop using it. use things like magnesium or tart cherry juice. [/quote]

Why is anyone even giving children something to make them sleep?  This is terrible.[/quote]

Our 3 year old started keeping himself awake at night. Swinging his body around, getting out of bed and changing clothes, kicking the wall, jumping in the bed, talking to himself, singing. This was after almost falling asleep at the dinner table because he was so tired. I tried laying with him to help him calm down but it didn’t help, but then I could hear the mumble jumble talking he was doing and it was like his brain was short circuiting. He’d fall asleep after 90 minutes- 2 hours then be UP 8-9 hours later at 5am. We moved his bedtime later, he got up at 5. We moved his bedtime earlier, he kept himself awake. We tried many many behavioral interventions. This lasted several months.

The pediatrician agreed that a 2 week trial of melatonin made sense to help him get to sleep and catch up on his sleep deficit. It did help him get to sleep but when we stopped it we were right back to the same problems. We’re noticing behavioral issues because he is so tired. He is sleepy soon after waking and well before bed. He naps pretty well. We went back to the pediatrician, who recommended an ENT. We waited for the ENT appointment. We saw the ENT, who has us trying some stuff, and we go back in 3 months.

Does he have a sleep quality issue/sleep disorder? Maybe. Does he have normal 3 year old separation anxiety that makes bedtime difficult? Doesn’t seem like it, but maybe. Do we have any idea how long it will take to figure this out? No. In the meantime, we will continue to give him .5 mg of melatonin a night, to give this very tired boy the nudge he needs to put his body to sleep. It isn’t ideal, but it is better than the alternative.

I know it’s my fault for clicking on the thread but the parent shaming is just ridiculous. We’re all doing our best.

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