Melatonin

[Hurricane74]

Hi

DS age 4 has recently started on melatonin as he struggles to get to sleep at night. It is really helping. Just wanted to ask others with DC using this, do you have breaks from it, if so, how often, and have you needed to increase the dose over time?
Thanks

[Foxesjumpers]

Hi there
My DS age 5 (with HF ASD) has been using it for a year now. Its amazing isn't it?! We took a short break after a few months (in Jan this year) but went straight back on it as we were back to square one with sleep and haven't tried again since.
I started a thread a couple of months ago about long term use
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs_chat/3365696-Long-term-melatonin-use
If that link doesn't work its on page 3 of Special Needs Chat.
Is it prescribed or are you buying it?

[moresleeprequired]

Watching this thread with interest OP as I had actually just jumped onto MN to post a thread myself about melatonin, my DD age 2 is going to be prescribed it but in conjunction with changes to bedtime routine (she needs to be held to go to sleep and paediatrician suggests changing alongside melatonin use)
I don't want to derail and apologies if I'm kind of doing that but I'm interested to know if you implemented any bed time routine changes at same time?

[mikapatika]

My 4 year olds been on it for a year, she now sleeps 4-5 hours a night still with an adult but it got so bad without it, she went 4 days and nights with no sleep 😳

The paed recommended breaks, we normally try for one day at the weekend when she won’t sleep but seems to help reset it otherwise even with melatonin she won’t sleep til 4/5 ish and with the break she’s asleep for 12/1 ish

[Hurricane74]

Thanks for the replies so far. And for the link Foxes. I have been prescribed it.

Hi MoreSleep - the paediatrician recommended we do the same and start a better routine as I had to lie next to him to get him to sleep and it would take ages to get him into bed before that point. Now he is asking to go to bed and I have managed to move to just sitting on the edge of the bed (small victory!) and plan to gradually move an inch or so at a time towards the door. I really need to remind myself to persist with this as it seems like a great opportunity to start better habits.

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

My DS has ASD and takes it and it has made a world of difference. He had reasonably good sleep until about 6 yo when it all went wrong and he would be awake for hours and then not able to hold it together during the day as he was so exhausted. I can't remember what does he started on but we were advised to start on the prescribed dose for a couple of weeks and then drop it a bit for another couple of weeks and keep going down until we found the minimum dose that still works. He's a teenager now and decides for himself whether he needs it or not at bedtime, although we still administer it to him.

[moresleeprequired]

That's really helpful info thanks Hurricane and good luck with your sleep strategy! We will be attempting as much here!
All the best 

[notasnowploughoratiger]

Can I ask on this thread any advise on when you should give it? And if you have found any side effects with it?

My 7 year old is on day three, but we did not get told when to give it so just checking -

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

I give it about 30-40 mins before bedtime, and cut out screen time before that.

[Howdoyoudoit31]

My son is on it, but I don’t really like giving it all the time so I only give it when I’m knackered. Maybe 1-2 times a month

[notasnowploughoratiger]

Thanks both -

We are on day 4 & the difference in the ability to fall asleep has been huge!

Why don't you like it?

Any side affects anyone has seen?

[Didiplanthis]

Ds 6 is on it and it's amazing. No side effects just proper restful sleep for him and a little bit of evening back for us.

[empmalswa]

DS took it from age 9 until he turned 12. I used to give him tester breaks in the holidays to see how he would manage without it. Eventually he had got into such a good sleep routine he wasn't affected by the break so we stopped giving him it.

He is 16 now and sleeps about 1am -8am in school nights and 2pm - 11am in the holidays

[Allfednonedead]

I give it (unprescribed) to my DS(7). A friend mentioned her ASD niece used it in Chile and offered to give us some she had in the house.
Initially it was just to help him get to sleep, but we found it relieves his anxiety hugely, even though it doesn't give him much more actual sleep time (maybe an extra 40 minutes? He wakes up pretty early now!)

When we've tried breaks, the anxiety starts to ramp up, so we're now pretty committed to sticking with it for the moment.

In case anyone's worried, we are waiting for a CAMHS psych appointment to get an official prescription, but I did get unofficial advice from a clinical psychologist in our local support services.