When to give melatonin to kids when flying?

[Inbedbynine]

Flying to Europe and both dc have melatonin. Dc1 normal tablets and dc2 has circadian so long release. Flight hike is 9pm. We will land about 11pm, then have suitcase pick up, taxi home and be back about 1am. When should I give it to them to not mess them up too much? They aren’t little so will not be carried and have to walk themselves, do I just wait and give to them when we land?? Normally they would have it about 630pm.....

How much before bedtime is that? Just count back the same amount of hours.

Certainly not on the flight as it’s too short a time. Will they be too excited to sleep at 1am? Could you go natural and wait then 1:30am if they’re not asleep give half as an aid to sleep? Hopefully they’ll sleep in on the first day.

I've no idea at what time you should give drugs to your children.

There’s only an hour time difference but I will be giving it to them slightly later when we’re away as they will be up later? At home they go to bed at 8pm. I think they’ll probably be in bed about 10pm when away so give it 2 hours later I was thinking?

What worries me about flying home (flight out is fine as day time) is I was reading on here to be careful about waking them/messing them up etc.... something about ‘windows’ but I can’t remember? They don’t normally fly on the plane when we’ve travelled late before but they weren’t on melatonin then? They will have to walk, so walk off plane, get suitcases, passport control, walk out to taxi........

bobby it’s flight home the problem not flight out?

absolute it’s prescribed by a paediatrician due to their special needs. Hardly drugging them

Is it worth it for such a short flight? I think you might be overthinking for short haul.

Ah sorry just ready your update about SN. I’m not sure but i’d Use once your there to get a good night’s sleep.

That’s ok mrs. They have to have it, nighttime there is fine but just the fact we have a late flight home and don’t know best when to give it..... i can’t not give it to them as they won’t sleep plus one of the dc I have to drop somewhere else the morning we come back (not out of choice unfortunate change of events out of my control!!) so he needs a good sleep but don’t want to give it too late and him may feeling groggy when I wake him up?

Maybe ask a pharmacist?

I’m leaving soon (yes I know Iv left it late but it didn’t occur to me as quite new to the medication), I’ll try to ring one on the way to airport as there aren’t any open here yet and it’s Saturday. Would there be an actual chemist in boots at the airport does anyone know??

Can you call your children consultant or specialist nurse for advice? Will it have a knock on effect by delaying it? Are your children on anyother medicen that this change might effect? I personally have no idea.

Do your children fit the criteria to use special assistant service offered by lot of airport? My grandmother uses them as she can't walk far without it starting to get very tried, but they accept it based on her age and have never asked for evidence of medical conditions (she is 77). It is worth it to call the airport in question if you could book special assistance. They would come with a wheelchair and at the entrance of the plane and help you all the way to arrival hall. I don't know if they would help you all the way to the taxi or not. As grandma tends to get off at arrival and thank them and says she got it from there.

Thanks number yes I have special assistance arranged.

Can’t ring anyone at the hospital especially as it’s saturday and we fly today.... I’ll see if I can find a chemist open... most don’t open on a Saturday but I’m sure we have one that has to be open 24/7 on duty so will have a ring around an try to find which one is on duty! (We are rural).

Hi, I'm a pharmacist and I'd say giving the dose 90 mins to 2 hours before bedtime is what's recommended, so I would use that as your guide whilst away and on your return as well.
Hope that helps.

Thanks for replying. What about the flight home though, that’s my worry? Still give it to them the same time Iv given to them whilst away? Flight is 9pm ish.... so when we board? Or wait until we’ve landed? They will have to do all the walking themselves....

It usually takes an hour for my DSs circadin to kick in, so I'd say when you've landed and taxiing in runway? How long is taxi ride!?

One night at a different time won't make much of a difference.

Not an expert, but surely you want to go for 1am minus 90-120mins?
Then you need to find out how long the slow release works for? Could that child have the non slow release on this occasion? (Obv bad to give other people’s prescriptions but I would consider it in this case.)

About 40 mins from airport but takes about hour to wait for suitcase and then through passport control..

My only concern is because I was reading on here about making sure they are asleep within a certain ‘window’ or it screws them up! Maybe I’m worrying about nothing.

Give him the slow release just that night? We need to be up and out the house by 9am after getting in at 1am... just trying to make it as easy as possible for him.

Mis type give him the non slow release just that night..

Absolute Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone ,that is prescribed for many children who have sleep.issues due to their special needs ,it's a life saver for many families ,Op hardly suggesting she wants to drug her children!

Is it just me or are you making this really rather more difficult for yourself than it needs to be?

If you want him asleep by 1am and it takes 2 hours to take affect, then get it to him at 11pm

*adjust times accordingly to the schedule on the day.

I use it to help combat jetlag when we fly back and forth to the US every year (I sometimes take it myself), and generally aim to take a dose about 90 mins to 2 hours before bedtime.