Is Melatonin Use Suitable For Children?

When you don't get enough sleep, it may affect both your mood and your health. Even children can have sleeping problems, sometimes finding it difficult to fall asleep or to sleep through the night. According to the Centers for Disease Control, children 5 to 10 years of age should sleep 10 to 11 hours each night, and adolescents need about 9 hours of sleep nightly. Melatonin is a natural compound that may help children and adolescents get a good night's sleep. Consult a pediatrician, however, to determine whether this is a good approach for your family.

Sleep Problems in Children

Like adults, children may suffer sleep disturbances. Chronic insomnia occurs in children for various reasons, including eating just before bedtime, staying up too late and becoming stressed, or other behavioral problems that cause agitation at bedtime. In addition, sleep problems are common in children with developmental disabilities, especially those who are visually impaired, and also in children who are hyperactive or who have a neurological illness.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone made by a small structure in your brain called the pineal gland. Its release is prevented during daylight hours. However, at night your brain releases melatonin to lower your body temperature and promote sleep. The release of melatonin at night is caused by interaction between light receptors in your retina and the pineal gland. Regular production of melatonin at night is part of your body's natural circadian rhythm, which helps you to stay alert during the day and to sleep at night.

Use in Children

Although melatonin is a recognized supplement for adults with insomnia, its use in children has been more controversial. Several studies, however, have examined its effect in children and found that it is generally safe. In one trial published in the journal "Pediatrics" in 2003 that involved 62 children aged 6 to 12, those who took melatonin experienced significant improvement in sleep quality compared with children who took a placebo. In this and other studies of melatonin use in children, no serious side effects were identified.

Recommendation

Although use of melatonin in children for short periods of time appears to be free of significant risk, long-term use has not been studied carefully. Before giving melatonin to your child, discuss it with his doctor. The usual daily dose of melatonin in children is 2.5 to 5 mg, given at 6:00 PM. Melatonin is available at most health food stores, either as immediate-release tablets or in a controlled-release formula. Choose a standardized, synthetically produced product that is labeled "USP verified," which indicates that the product was made in accordance with standards of the United States Pharmacopeia.