The pineal gland in your brain secretes melatonin, which is a hormone that helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle. When you are in the dark, your body produces more melatonin, causing you to sleep better. When you are in the light, the production of melatonin decreases. Typically, the highest levels of melatonin are found in young children, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC.
Function
People who suffer from sleep problems sometimes use melatonin tablets, capsules or lozenges to increase their levels of melatonin. The effectiveness of melatonin varies according to individual sensitivity, and high doses can cause anxiety and irritability, so other forms of sleep remedies might be preferable for treating sleep disorders in children. But in some cases, melatonin supplementation can be successful. For example, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, might sleep better if they receive melatonin supplementation, according to UMMC.
Expert Insight
Parents responding to a long-term follow-up questionnaire concerning children who received melatonin treatment reported there were no adverse effects and that melatonin successfully helped combat sleep problems, according to an article in the August 2009 issue of the "Journal of Pineal Research." The children involved suffered from ADHD or chronic sleep onset insomnia.
Warning
Melatonin studies specifically geared toward children are limited, so its safety is not yet established, according to MayoClinic.com. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers melatonin to be a dietary supplement, which means over-the-counter melatonin supplements don't receive the same level of scrutiny as prescription drugs.
Considerations
Discuss melatonin supplementation with a pediatrician before attempting to treat sleep disorders in your child. Generally, children should not have more than 0.3 mg of melatonin per day. Greater dosages have not been proven safe for children under the age of 15, according to UMMC. The center adds that doses between 1 and 5 mg could cause seizures in children under 15.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Melatonin
- "Journal of Pineal Research"; Long-Term Follow-up of Melatonin Treatment in Children with ADHD and Chronic Sleep Onset Insomnia; M. Hoebert, et al.; August 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Melatonin
- "USA Today"; Kids Tucked in with a Dose of Melatonin; Phil Galewitz
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