Your Thoughts on the Safety of Melatonin for Children

RadishRose

RadishRose

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Location
Connecticut, USA
What do you think of these?

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As you might guess, I feel nervous about these products. Is it a slippery slope to drugging our children to sleep that may get out of hand?

Consider the distraught and sleep-deprived parents of a screaming baby who won't sleep at night, or can't stop the toddler from jumping out of bed every night, wreaking havoc. A cheerfully labeled "Kidz" sleep aid would be very tempting to most.

But is the product for the parents or the children? Could this be a slippery slope? There are many parents who are just ignorant, or don't have Google to research, or don't care enough to ask the doctor- just shut that kid up.

Maybe I'm over-reacting, I do that sometimes... but this doesn't sit well with me.

What are your comments?
 

I disagree that melatonin doesn’t cause nightmares at all. If it makes good & bad dreams more vivid, then it’s causing your bad dreams to become super colourful and frightening. This in itself can cause anxiety in your sleep and waking life.

Yes RaddishRose. It’s very concerning. Just because it’s an ALL natural drug doesn’t mean it’s comsidered safe for ALL. No Way!

People really need to do their research. This isn’t a safe sleep alternative for all. It has some serious side effects and shouldn’t ever be used for more than 6 months at a time. It’s a supplement that’s supposed to help set up sleep patterns and IS NOT meant to be used as a permanent sleeping aid.
 
Keesha said:
I disagree that melatonin doesn’t cause nightmares at all. If it makes good & bad dreams more vivid, then it’s causing your bad dreams to become super colourful and frightening. This in itself can cause anxiety in your sleep and waking life.

Yes RaddishRose. It’s very concerning. Just because it’s an ALL natural drug doesn’t mean it’s comsidered safe for ALL. No Way!

People really need to do their research. This isn’t a safe sleep alternative for all. It has some serious side effects and shouldn’t ever be used for more than 6 months at a time. It’s a supplement that’s supposed to help set up sleep patterns and IS NOT meant to be used as a permanent sleeping aid.
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I agree Keesha.

But what do you think of sleep aids in general for children?

Look at the face of the boy on the first package- he looks wasted. Well, that's beside the point, but I'm fearful of a trend. Children and young adults are already in deep trouble with drugs in general. I just hate the idea of parents drugging their kids to sleep.

Ok, rant over (I think)
 

RadishRose said:
I agree Keesha.

But what do you think of sleep aids in general for children?

Look at the face of the boy on the first package- he looks wasted. Well, that's beside the point, but I'm fearful of a trend. Children and young adults are already in deep trouble with drugs in general. I just hate the idea of parents drugging their kids to sleep.

Ok, rant over (I think)
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Scary. Your first post describes the concern perfectly.

Our entire society has become one of pure convenience and there is a LOT wrong with it.
 
I don't think sleep aids for children (especially babies and toddlers) is a good idea at all. Thankfully I never had to deal with any hyper-active kids so I don't know what I might do in that case... but any remedy would be with the pediatrician's blessing.
 
Popping pills at a young age ..No! I don't think kids should be taking sleep aids either. Just doesn't sit well with me. Lifestyle changes need to be made if they are too wound up at bedtime.


BTW ... they now make sleep aids for dogs.. 'K9 Choice Melatonin' ...cats are next! :eek:
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Bonnie said:
Popping pills at a young age ..No! I don't think kids should be taking sleep aids either. Just doesn't sit well with me. Lifestyle changes need to be made if they are too wound up at bedtime.


BTW ... they now make sleep aids for dogs.. 'K9 Choice Melatonin' ...cats are next! :eek:
iu
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Agree completely.
Whatever happened to bed time stories and hot milk?
Singing a lullaby ?
Rocking the baby / child?
Decreasing or eliminating sugar ?
Checking for food allergies?
Talk therapy?
Relaxing music?
 
Keesha said:
Agree completely.
Whatever happened to bed time stories and hot milk?
Singing a lullaby ?
Rocking the baby / child?
Decreasing or eliminating sugar ?
Checking for food allergies?
Talk therapy?
Relaxing music?
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Too busy on their cell phones? Or the supplement companies found a gold mine! Melatonin for dogs? What the hell does a dog need a sleep aid for?
 
Gone are the days of playing outside so hard that you fall into bed and sleep (like a baby).

They don't even have neighborhood games like tag, kickball, or hide and seek.

Therefore they have created drugs to make them sleep.
 
What is this world coming too. Granted I have used Melatonin but what kind of a message is that teaching a baby or toddler. I am nearly 80 years old before I had to depend on a pill like that. That can be their first step into learning to pop a pill for this or that. Let me just say I am glad our kids are grown. It was so much easier back then and more healthier.
 
Having never been a parent, I probably have no business responding, but I do agree with everyone who has responded no the sleep aids for the kids. I think lifestyle changes, calming bedtime routines would do the trick. No TV, computer or video games for an hour or so before bedtime.
I would be more concerned with WHY my child is not sleeping over just giving them something.
 
I think that melatonin is a natural hormone that is abundant in young people, only as we age does that hormone become weaker, so giving it to kids would be overkill. I agree that young kids shouldn't be getting any sleeping pills, prescription or natural supplements. Like Marie said, if a change in their routine, diet, physical activity during the daytime, etc. is needed, that's how it should be handled.
 
Marie5656 said:
Having never been a parent, I probably have no business responding, but I do agree with everyone who has responded no the sleep aids for the kids. I think lifestyle changes, calming bedtime routines would do the trick. No TV, computer or video games for an hour or so before bedtime.
I would be more concerned with WHY my child is not sleeping over just giving them something.
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We don’t need to have children to use good common sense and you have plenty.
 
Bonnie said:
Popping pills at a young age ..No! I don't think kids should be taking sleep aids either. Just doesn't sit well with me. Lifestyle changes need to be made if they are too wound up at bedtime.


BTW ... they now make sleep aids for dogs.. 'K9 Choice Melatonin' ...cats are next! :eek:
iu
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Melatonin for cats is even sillier. How about melatonin for your fish or hermit crab? Who cares if it's species specific. They gotta sleep so we don't freak out!!!
o_O
 
Kids are not just little adults. Their brains and bodies are unique and not merely "mini-mes." Do your research and seek professional advice, and be sure your motivation for calming them down is not self-serving. Btw, melatonin was not effective for me (as an adult).
 
My school age kids would complain that they couldn't sleep.
In reality they just didn't want to go to bed at their allotted bedtime.
My response was, "You don't have to go to sleep. You just have to stay in bed".
They soon dropped off, mostly out of boredom.
Of course that was before bedrooms were as exciting as they are today.
 

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