Child given melatonin without our consent

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

DS6 went to his first sleepover last night, at a close friend's house. 4 other kids were there also, ages 6-8.

His friend's mum messaged to say he was asleep shortly after 9 which I found unusual because he would usually stay up later with all that excitement. But I thought that he was just very tired. We have been very busy recently, he has been in swimming lessons and football and was starting a mild cold.

This afternoon when I picked him up it was casually mentioned that the kids were all dosed with melatonin. I know it's super common to do so but our son has never had melatonin, and we certainly would have said no if we were asked.

It put him into a really deep sleep, causing him to have an accident in the night which really embarrassed him.

I didn't really say anything when my friend mentioned this. I was a bit blindsided, and the party was still going on so I didn't know how best to address it.

My husband is really irritated that they went ahead and dosed our child without our consent. Melatonin has been something we agreed not to give our children unless medically directed. He wants me to say something to the parents. I'm inclined to leave it as he's unlikely to go there for a sleepover again for quite some time. I was thinking we could just bring it up if he ever sleeps there again.

My husband thinks that on principle, you don't give a child anything without their parents' consent, so we should raise the issue and set the boundary now. Our children do play there occasionally in the daytime. Usually he is the non confrontational one and I am the one bringing these things up. Idk if it's because I'm 38 weeks pregnant so I just don't feel like pursuing it?

What would you do? Are we right to be irritated?

How do you know he wasn't drugged for the purposes of abuse?!?

I'd be suggesting contacting the police never mind saying something to them!!

Melatonin used to be sold in Holland and barrett it's really not a big deal.

My 7 year old is prescribed 4mg.

Here is some information and some reviews on the gummy my son thought he had

Love it when people go on about the dose and it’s fine. Reminds me of being in the US and being told 3 Advil was ok as ‘they’re only small’. 🤔

I don’t think posters in the US should be describing those based in the UK as ‘histrionic’.

Goodness know we have issues with the NHS but frankly the attitude of prescription and non-prescription meds in the US via FDA regulation IS something you should be getting histrionic about.

This was the very first thing I wondered.

I commented above saying about it possibly being a sfe gurding issue but for some reason my post is being reviewed.

In the UK melatonin is classified as a medicine and can only be prescribed by a medical professional. In the US it is used in dietary supplements and not classed as a medicine. This means that it’s subject to much less regulatory oversight in the US. There have been several studies recently showing that the amount of melatonin in US dietary supplements is very variable (particularly in gummies which are most often used for children) with some which claimed to have 1mg melatonin shown in independent lab testing to have much more than claimed (up to 13-14mg melatonin in some gummies).

It’s really easy to order from the US

Could you please list the side effects and contra indications?

That’s really bad… I’d be annoyed

This is outrageous. I would be furious.

You do not medicate anyone's child EVER. Which parent would agree to that?

I think you are more worried about upsetting the parents.

Your husband is 100% correct.

Confront them.

On another level, why are children this young going on sleepovers? I would never allow it, you do not know anyone really. Child sexual abuse? Anyone? You have no idea about who is coming in and out the property. Crazy.

Kids this young do not have the strength to refuse anything asked by an adult when their parents are not there.

2mg is just the starting dose. As an adult, that wouldn't even touch your sides. I use it for jetlag and anything less than 10mg does sod all for me.

You still shouldn’t give it to someone’s 6 year old without their consent.

And they sell plenty of things in H and B that can have adverse side effects.

This is quite alarming. What if he was allergic?

and why did they need to drug your child - surely they know how suspicious that looks.

@Verbena17
Personally my child would never ever be under their supervision again. They have made , at minimum, totally unsafe decisions for his welfare and possible even come to harm under the influence of a drug. Let's not say 'gummy - it's a drug , that caused him such deep sleep, he has an 'accident.'

Just because there are ‘transatlantic differences’, doesn’t mean U.K. poster’s views aren’t valid. It may well be available OTC in the US… doesn’t mean that’s a good thing and that people should be routinely giving it to their kids, just for the convenience of getting them to sleep earlier.

Adult dose is 2mg in uk.

really? Ds was on 5mg by age 16 and Camhs advised us to up the dose to 10mg if needed (unofficially of course)

Quite. You can buy the contraceptive pill otc in Spain, without any medical checks whatsoever. This doesn't immediately render it safe for everyone.

Exactly - I only said ‘gummy’ because that’s what they’re sold as.

I am UK based but I buy melatonin when I travel to the US to help with jet lag and some other sleep disturbances that I suffer from occasionally. It genuinely does work within about 10 minutes.

Walmart has vast ranges of different brands/strengths. No restrictions or limitations on how much you can purchase. The US sees it very much as an OTC, no need for prescription.

I would never, ever give it to either my child, let alone someone else's. It amazes me the cultural divide between the US and the UK on so many things, this is a great example. That this is so normalised that they didn't even think and just gave it to him.

@Nellynoowhoareyou

I wish you were correct. I'm having a hard time believing it myself.

@Mylefttoe

I think that's what threw me. They genuinely didn't mean any harm. To them it's like a vitamin I think. I still think we need to say something. Not quite sure what, but we need to.

I would be beyond livid. My child would never go there again and I'd report to the police/social services.

@Mylefttoe

The mother of the family is also originally from the UK. But we both started our families over here.