Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by the pineal gland located in the middle of the brain just above the brain stem. Produced and released after the sun sets, melatonin regulates sleep. Synthetic melatonin is available as a supplement. Research at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicates that synthetic melatonin can be helpful in treating sleep disorders, decreasing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Though widely sold in tablet form, liquid melatonin is available online, at pharmacies and at nutrition stores for those who have difficulty swallowing tablets.
Use
Melatonin is used in children and adolescents to treat sleep problems and chronic insomnia. Research, such as reported at Molecular Psychiatry, suggests that children with certain developmental disorders may have deficiencies in the production of melatonin. Melatonin is not generally used with children who have garden variety sleep problems. Rather, its use is limited to children with neurological injury, psychiatric issues or developmental disabilities. These children often have difficulties swallowing pills, so flavored, liquid melatonin is usually the easiest means to get the child to take the melatonin.
Research on Efficacy in Children
Research on the efficacy of melatonin on children has focused primarily on clinical populations. Given the ubiquity of problems getting children to swallow medicine, this research on children generally uses the liquid form of melatonin. Research on the use of melatonin with children, such as published at the National Institutes of Health and Pub Med, indicates that melatonin improves the amount of time to fall asleep, increases duration of sleep, and decreases interruptions to sleep. This research also suggests that the daytime mood, cognition and behavior of children with sleep disorder also show improvement after treatment with melatonin.
Side Effects for Children
Studies generally do not find side effects for melatonin with children when doses are limited to below 8 mg per day. Larger doses may produce side effects that can include headaches, morning drowsiness and vivid dreams. Children with seizure disorders may be at risk for worse seizures according to a 1998 study by S.H. Sheldon reported at The Psychiatrist.
Contraindications
Children who have severe allergies, immune system cancers, autoimmune diseases or seizure disorders should not take melatonin. Children who do not have developmental, psychiatric or neurological disturbances should not take melatonin as research has not been carried out on children without those disturbances. Healthy children produce melatonin in sufficient quantities and do not need a supplement.
Alternatives
Have your child evaluated by a pediatrician for psychiatric, metabolic, hormonal or other possible medical factors that can contribute to sleep problems. Explore dietary and behavioral strategies to improve your child's sleep habits. For example, don't allow your child to have any caffeine after midafternoon, establish bedtime routines and turn off the TV and video games at least an hour or so before bedtime.
Drug Interactions
Liquid melatonin can interfere with nefedipine and may interact with immunosuppressants, diabetes medications and blood-thinning medications.
Dosing
Liquid melatonin should be administered 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Start with 2.5 mg to 5 mg. The dosage can be increased up to 7.5 mg. Confer with your child's doctor before administering melatonin.
References
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Melatonin for Treatment of Sleep Disorders
- Med Page Today: Melatonin Aids Sleep in Children with Autism and Fragile X
- Molecular Psychiatry: Abnormal Melatonin Synthesis in Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Pub Med: The Efficacy of Melatonin for Sleep Problems in Children with Autism or Fragile X Syndrome
- The Psychiatrist: Melatonin in the Treatment of Insomnia in Children and Adolescents
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