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Original poster

Anyone been prescribed melatonin to help their child sleep? Did it help?

44 replies

iwonderwhatisusedtobe · 04/05/2023 19:27

Autistic DC has always struggled with sleep and I'm thinking of asking the GP about melatonin as I've heard it is meant to be good. Has anyone had it prescribed for their child? Is it easy to get and did it help?

I've also heard a few people say that while it got their child to sleep easily they then started waking in the night. Dc currently sleeps through so this would be a very bad side effect for us.

I'd love to hear others experiences on how it worked for their DC.

OP posts:
KetoKitt · 04/05/2023 19:28

I bought it from America.

Had the weirdest, most vivid dreams both times I took it.

Really put me off.

Bought for DD(14) who is SEN. She said they made her feel sick and didn't help.

Stomacharmeleon · 04/05/2023 19:29

My youngest took it all the way through his teen years and stopped when he went to uni. Prescribed by camhs and then by GP post 18. He found it helped him No problem stopping it either.

ShmackAttack · 04/05/2023 19:35

my 10 year old son has been taking it for 4 years now and its a gamechanger for us before hand he would be awake till gone 10pm every night and going to school with dark circles under his eyes now he has 1 tablet at 7 pm and is reliably asleep by 8.30pm and stays that way till between 6am and 7am we have the rare night that he wakes at 2 am but it is rare - be warned though it doesnt work for everyone 2 or 3 of the mums i talk too it worked for a few weeks then stopped and they are back to where they were or doubling the dose every few months and others its just not worked for - i am very lucky it has for us

BookishBabe · 04/05/2023 19:59

My DS (now 5) was prescribed it when he was 3. He doesn't generally have a problem falling to sleep, he wakes up 4 or 5 times a night and takes 5 to 30 minutes to fall back to sleep.
He was prescribed it because of the night wakings but it didn't help at all we stopped giving it him (also getting him to take medicine was a nightmare in itself).
He didn't fall asleep in the evening any faster after taking it either, but he has a regular routine where that part of the night takes 20 to 30 minutes which isn't excessively long.

stealthninjamum · 04/05/2023 20:02

Dd2 was often awake til 4am and then couldn’t get up for school. I had to fight for a prescription and it has made such an incredible difference. There don’t seem to be any side effects for her.

Xrays · 04/05/2023 20:02

My 11 year old has been on it since he was 3. He has autism and a diagnosed sleep disorder. We simply couldn’t function without it.

Hankunamatata · 04/05/2023 20:02

Yes and yes. Dc only just stopped melotonin as changed their other medication. Without it he would have been listening to audiobooks until 2 or 3 am (we introduced audiobooks to stop him getting out of bed all the time)

ghostyslovesheets · 04/05/2023 20:03

DD3 has it - she was prescribed it post encephalitis as she struggled with sleep/anxiety - she still takes it now but only when she feels like she can't switch her brain off - works well for her

doadeer · 04/05/2023 20:05

Yes prescribed by paediatrician it's changed our lives.

We always had a clear and relaxing bed time routine, my son would try to sleep (from very young baby) and he couldn't then he would get increasingly hyper. As a toddler this would be climbing out his cot over and over and hurting himself. As he got older he would slam the door and walls and shout until about 11:30pm. I had full time care of him during the days and I was just demented.

Melatonin at 3.5 ish, he now goes straight to sleep at 8pm it's blissful.

We get occasional all nighters still. Occasional night terrors and insomnia but overall, saved our sanity.

Hankunamatata · 04/05/2023 20:05

Gp didn't practice though it was peadtrician

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 04/05/2023 20:07

Ds(9) has been on it for about 4 years now. He is up anywhere between 1 and 4 am, but was the same before starting it. At least he goes off to sleep quickly and gets a decent amount of sleep before being up for the rest of the night.

custardbear · 04/05/2023 20:07

My ASD (still being assessed) DD14 has had it for 9 ish months, she often used to be awake at 4am, with melatonin it's usually more like 1-2am ... we often double up with piriton too
DS11 is likely ADHD and awaiting a prescription... he won't try his sisters script as it's not been
Prescribed (he follows rules and is very Sheldon-esk bless him!) piriton doesn't help him much though so hoping for some support (albeit it's likely 14 months away still as there's a 2 year waiting list we've been on since July last year 😞🤯

custardbear · 04/05/2023 20:09

... by the way they are 2 types, capsule and pill. One works differently to the other so work out what works for you. DD takes the capsule and feels she needs to take it half hour before she goes to bed otherwise she misses the window and it's useless for her - so be flex in how it's taken and try both versions to see what works best

NewNovember · 04/05/2023 20:11

Yes but a GP won't prescribe you will have to ask their pead consultant.

Skybluepinky · 04/05/2023 20:25

No, it made him throw up and still only 2 hours sleep plus I had sheet bucket and pillow to wash.

RoseMartha · 04/05/2023 20:27

Yes my eldest daughter used to have it. It was prescribed from the hospital where her autism was diagnosed although I have a friend whose daughter was prescribed it from the GP, it might depend on your area.

You have to catch the right time 'window' between giving it and settling them in bed. It can be a bit hit or miss to start with. It worked for her on and off but evenly when it didnt actually send her to sleep it calmed her down.

We had to keep adjusting the dose while liaising with the sleep clinician as she grew. She stopped using it at 14.

glitterfarts · 04/05/2023 20:27

We buy it online, no prescription, and it works wonders for DD. She's unable to get to sleep until 3am without it. Out like a light with it. She's 13.

Phineyj · 04/05/2023 20:30

Yes, has worked well for 3 years now (from age 7). We have the extended release Circadin. Prescribed by paediatrician at the ADOS and then taken on by GP.

Bedtimes used to be hideous struggle taking up to four hours.

Original poster
iwonderwhatisusedtobe · 04/05/2023 20:46

Thanks for all the replies - really interesting. It sounds like the GP won't be able to prescribe it. If so how can I get hold of it. DC was diagnosed and discharged at the same time so we don't have a paediatrician we can talk to.

OP posts:
Ocularpatdown · 04/05/2023 20:54

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apapuchi · 04/05/2023 21:08

It doesn't work for my son really, but he has been on the slow release tablets and liquid for a couple of years now. We do regular breaks and it sometimes seems it has a little effect after the break. He now also has promethazine prescribed which also doesn't work. He's been up until 1am every night (morning) this week.. yawn!

If your child has been discharged from the community paediatrician then you should go back to the GP about sleep issues and ask them to refer you back in for paediatric input on it. Depending on age and area sometimes CAHMS or CYPS also do sleep work and have a psychiatrist or paed on team who can also prescribe or refer on.

Good luck! Do pursue it, difficult sleep is really tough.

FatGirlSwim · 04/05/2023 21:10

It depends on your area. Here, you need a referral to sleep clinic via the school nurse or community paediatrician.

doadeer · 04/05/2023 21:22

iwonderwhatisusedtobe · 04/05/2023 20:46

Thanks for all the replies - really interesting. It sounds like the GP won't be able to prescribe it. If so how can I get hold of it. DC was diagnosed and discharged at the same time so we don't have a paediatrician we can talk to.

You ask GP to refer you to hospital paediatrician

universityhelp · 04/05/2023 21:27

We had it prescribed by the paediatrician for eldest who was diagnosed ASD. It didn't help her, but she is resistant to most drugs. If yours is ASD it's definitely worth a try. I have actually tried it myself (from dd's left over stock) and it worked for me. Just seen your latest message and things might have changed, it;s worth asking your GP and if not, look online as it's readily available for anyone in America

LucyD30 · 04/05/2023 21:31

My GP prescribed it for my daughter. She is 10 and ADHD and probable ASD but not diagnosed. She’s always struggled sleeping and this has worked wonders. I’ve heard that it doesn’t work well for neurotypical brains - my other DD who is neurotypical had some for jet lag and it did nothing. Same with me - nothing at all but everyone I know whose kids who are neurodivergent and use it find it works really well. I worry about how good it is to be giving to my DD but sleep deprivation triggers meltdowns and anxiety so I think it’s better than not giving it to her.
hope it works for you!

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