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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

URGENT- Can I put Melatonin in milk for my ds to drink?

19 replies

Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 18:48

URGENT Question if anyone can oblige me!

Our peadatrician gave us melatonin yesterday -hurrah. but no real advice on how to give it or what dose

We have been given 3mg capsules - Can I open one up and put it in milk/yoghurt? He wont/ cant take it as a capsule!!!

Also he is 6 but the height of an 8 year old - what is the right dosage (Im sure someone told me 1mg happy dreams 2mg nightmares - we have been given 3mg!!!!!!!!!!!)

TIA I hope someone can help as I need to give it to him now..........

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Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 18:53

anyone???

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bubblagirl · 12/06/2008 19:02

i think a slong as it is given in drink which isnrt a stimulant it should be ok not 100% but i think 1 mg will be fine im sure it can go from 2.5 to 5mg at this age but not 100%

magso · 12/06/2008 20:21

A search might be worth doing - there was a discussion about melatonin about 10 -14 days ago I think it was possibly mum23asd that mentioned dose and method if that helps your search.

Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 20:24

Ah thankyou - I decided to put it on a spoon of yoghurt in the end. He didnt like that and I had to practically force feed it to him

I have now promised never to give it too him again, but as he went to sleep within 30 minutes with no problems I know I am lying

I dont want to give it to him but I cant cope with his disruptive behaviour all day and all evening until 10pm anymore.

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SparklyGothKat · 12/06/2008 20:32

Dd1 is on 3mg and has up to 3 tablets a night...

Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 20:34

Really sparkly OMG!

Does she swallow them or do you add it too food? Does she wake during the night as well?

I know now that if ds is going to have it I will have to be very sly

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magso · 12/06/2008 20:41

Brilliant ds is asleep! It must work!
Previous thread is on 23 may dont know how to link for you.

Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 20:45

Thanks magso I will go and look at that. I am hopeless at the new links method, goodness knows why I was fine with the old system on mn

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reiver · 12/06/2008 20:48

3 mg capsules here too - just occasional use though. Found it didn't mix well with milk as it didn't totally dissolve so I use a spoonful of smoothie instead which works fine. You can get a liquid version too apparently if the capsules prove to be a problem.

SparklyGothKat · 12/06/2008 20:50

she takes them whole with water, she is good with tablets

getbackinyouryurtjimjams · 12/06/2008 22:03

I opened capsules and put half in yoghurt. Then ds1 stopped eating yoghurt. So I put it in orange juice, then he stopped drinking orange juice. But he did go to sleep quickly. And after a few nights he seemed back in a rythmn and didn't need it anymore.

We might have to start again though- he's upstairs banging on his window shouting at the moment

Yurtgirl · 12/06/2008 22:09

Hi jimjams - How is your yurt?

Thanks for your writing about your experiences

DS is saying he doesnt want to drink milk anymore anyway now!

So based on your exp it seems to be ok to put it in a drink or yoghurt as long as it is stirred in.

OMG I feel awful for deceiving him!!!!!!!!!!

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getbackinyouryurtjimjams · 12/06/2008 22:11

Yes, although I did read somewhere that taking it in capsule form slows down the release so you might not want to use a full capsule. Half a capsule certainly knocked ds1 out cold.

I really should try and get some into him now. He's no good when he stays up until midnight- goes hyper and manic the next day.

Jambuttie · 14/06/2008 12:16

Yes- I do for my son and have done for 2 yrs.

DT1 gets 2 melatonin 3mg caps and 1 3mg SR melatonin an nigh

MUM23ASD · 14/06/2008 14:08

Hi yurtgirl

so glad its working!!!!

Yes...break capsule into milk if he loves milk...

we have had some 'horrible' melatonin and some good....depends on manufacturer.

so me tastes foul- others tasteless....some dissolve completely and some are practically like talc and stick to cup.

so what i'd do today (before bedtime!!!) is experiment with a capsule- the best test is add it to a tablspoon of water and see how it dissolves...even if it doesn't dissolve but at least sinks and doesn't leave a disgusting film on surfac of water, you can be sure mixing it into milk will be fine as long as he drinks it fairly quickly- if he's a slow drinker- best to keep the drink small.

If it dissoles well in water....you can add it to anything as it will not feel grainy to him.

so...if he likes ceral...sprinkle some onto it- adding a little sugar (if he normaly has sugar) over the top will hide it well. My ds2 had his in cheese spread sandwhiches. Ds3 liked the fizz it made if added to lemonade....became part of his bedtime fun...

most important thing though is to not add it to very warm foods/drink as it is not so effective.

regarding dose.

yes, agree with previous poster who said that capsules are'nt absorbed efficiently- so 3mg as a whole capsule may not be enough ...whereas the same capsule- opened and only half of it added to a small drink- will knock him off his feet!!!

All 3 of mine are now swallowing capsules- which is great as i no longer need to worry about the dissolvability or the taste- but where as before ds3 had half capsule- he needs full 3mg now.

However...i'm not going to beat myself up about it as its not like he's taking a high dose of tranquiliser when a lower dose would do....Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone- which unfortunately some of us don't produce consistently or at the right time...or in the right ammounts... so taking the 'artificially produced' capsules addresses the deficit.

I can give you more info - just ask!!! (Melatonin and eating issues are my favourite SN subjects....so i have to be careful to not over do my enthusiasm!!!)

Yurtgirl · 15/06/2008 11:09

Thanks ever so much everybody - I really appreciate your thoughts

Life is slowly returning to normal now that he is getting enough sleep and I have regained my evenings!!!

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MUM23ASD · 15/06/2008 23:42

how are you giving him the melatonin?

Yurtgirl · 16/06/2008 20:48

Hi mum23asd - Currently sprinkled onto a tablespoon or so of whatever we have available, be it yoghurt, custard or this evening coleslaw

He did think about going to sleep without tonight but before I had even left the room he changed his mind!

Another night when I think he might be able to manage it Im going to give him a placebo - pretend mixed into some yoghurt when it isnt really and see if he can go to sleep that way

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MUM23ASD · 17/06/2008 08:46

yurtgirl- we've done the placebo thing...well you have to don't you!!! when you suddenly get 'sleepy heads' you cannot believe that one tiny capsule is responsible!!!

Is your DS 'happy' that he is sleeping? My DS1 was 9 at the time we tried it- and he WAS chuffed to bits...he was aware how 'everyone else felt tired and he never did'

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