Melatonin for toddler

[KittenOnTheTable]

Ds had an operation for sleep apnea they removed his tonsils and adenoids and put grommets in due to glue ear too. Since then his sleep has been absolutely buggered. Most nights going to sleep around 4am and sleeping till late. I've tried waking him "early" and getting him on a nap routine again but nothing works. He's so grumpy due to lack of sleep. I let him do his own thing once and apart from the lack of sleep he was a dream behaviour wise. I really have tried everything. It's been 2 months of this

I miss my wee happy chappy (and my bed)
Wibu to use melatonin just for a couple of days to fix whatever sleep issue he's having?

@Marblesbackagain I'm not advocating anything. In fact, I've said that I would consider alternatives in her case and not give melatonin. Everything I've stated is a fact 😊

Apologies for missing that.

No. No. No. I know you're desperate. I feel your pain but honestly medicating him like this is a social worker issue. Do not do it.
Contact a sleep specialist. And get yourself some rest. A night nanny for 1 night. Sleep deprivation is real and it's horrendous.
Yanbu to be at your wits end. But you're not thinking clearly.

He needs the nap as he's not sleeping at night. I know what you mean but it's a last resort effort. I really have tried everything else.
He's definitely not in any pain. His airways are clear no more apnea. I don't know if it's maybe a trauma thing? If he's going to bed and I'm getting him up at 7 he'll then need a nap. On 3 hours sleep is impossible. To just keep him up.

Because you can buy it and it's more of a supplement rather than actual drugs I figured a couple of days would be OK.

What about Bach Remedy sleep drops/gummies? They seem to do the trick for my DS although he’s 12 and on the adult dose.

i agree with a PP though, if he’s having a daytime nap that probably has to go

health visitor is first stop op
they can send to sleep specialist if needed
but perhaps GP first as it is following the ENT procedure

It is considered a medicine in a lot of jurisdictions. Just because it is considered differently elsewhere is not relevant. The fact you are considering it and using Google is a warning sign you need help. You are risking your child's health.

I think people are being quite harsh to OP, she is obviously exhausted and just trying to do her best. Everything is harder when you are all tired, sending hugs.

I do think speaking to your health visitor / GP as a first resort might be best as you don't know what the effects of melatonin might be (especially if not specifically given for the toddler).

I used Epsom salts for my son and it works the same way I believe.

Going against the grain here but we are a German family. You can buy it in the supermarket here, by the side of chamomile and valerian and hops. Here it is considered fine and in common use with children. Friend who is a paediatric psychiatrist gives it to her children if they're out of their normal routine. I think it's the same across mainland europe. This is my experience only and so use your own judgement. It is simply considered a natural supplement here, nothing more. But I stress, this is only my experience here in Germany.

I know you are exhausted but the answer is waking by 8, really active day, no naps, no screens after 6pm, wind down, nothing exciting, in bed for 8pm then repeat until it works. Bring bedtime earlier at a later date if needed but I found mine didn't need more than 10 hours anyway

Also in Germany there is huge shock that you can buy paracetamol freely in the UK! It is not considered safe for general sale! Just for contrast.

OP I was a similar age when I first had grommets and my adenoids removed. They apparently warned my Mum that I would suddenly be aware of a lot more background noise so even the flushing toilet could really disturb and possibly scare me.

Is it possible that he is finding it too noisy to sleep until he drops off from sheer exhaustion? Ticking clocks for example can stop me from sleeping.

Ok I hear yous about the gp or health visitor but I honestly don't know what they'd do? Aside from advise all the stuff yous are already saying. That I've already tried.

My thinking is surely if there was bad effects due to them, lots of other countries it wouldn't be classed as a supplement.

My dd has been on melatonin since she was 6 (adhd) and her pediatrician has no concerns.

I use it for my DD but I give way less than the recommended dose. I think I give her about 1/64th of a gummy. Nothing else works. I tried the magnesium spray and nothing.

The magnesium spray works on me though so might be worth giving a go.

Going against the grain here, if he's waking at 8 then needing a nap, maybe try and get him to sleep longer in the morning, so he isn't having a nap in the afternoon, close to bedtime. So let him sleep until 12pm, then try and get him to sleep by midnight, then bring it forward in increments from midnight.

If left to sleep his current natural cycle what time would be wake up?

if possible I would be letting him sleep to closer to his natural wake up time and then trying to gradually move it back. It seems he is stuck in a cycle of overtired at the moment which won’t help.

how complicated is your current bedtime routine? Have you tried scaling it right back to very calm very simple.

I think you just need to find the right routine and stick to it. 3 weeks is what they say to change toddler sleep.

At 3 he doesn't really need a nap but should be doing 11-13hra a night.

I'd just do a hard reset, with a short nap. Wake at 8am, 1hr nap at noon and then bed at 6pm for 2 days. Move to waking a bit early, dropping the nap and eventually later bedtime. Will be a horrible couple of days and he'll need all attention but I'd much rather than using prescription stuff that's not advised for him.

Usual sleep is finally fall asleep around 4am and if left he'll sleep untill about 10/11. Wake up starving eat loads. Then nap around 4/5pm which is a disaster anyways. If I keep him awake and try to do bedtime at say 7/8 he'll then wake by midnight and have a split night. Which then the next night is even worse. As he's even more knackered.

My husband travels to the U S regularly and brings me back 10mg melatonin gummies as I have issues sleeping. He's also got some children's 1mg last time in case our children need them for our GC, all without prescription. Don't see why in the UK we can't do the same.

Six year old under a medical professional versus mum reading Google for a 2 , 3 year old?

Exactly how if your child ends up I hospital from a simple fall are you going to explain the unprescribed medication in them? What if they have an adverse reaction.

Side effects in toddlers is unknown because it isn't considered ethical to prescribe nor test. What is concerning is there is another child on it for years so your boundaries aren't in place.

Talk to qualified medical professionals. Do not give drugs illegally to your toddler.

well the gp and the health visitor might surprise you,
they are qualified
and anyway, the wont prescribe melatonin without the first steps in the process
even if they will at his age

Absolutely do not use medication prescribed for another. Are you nuts?!
There's a reason its so difficult to have it prescribed for younger children.

I don't understand why people are so happy to play with their children's wellbeing.

And I say this as a mum of a child who has never slept a full night since they were born and is awaiting sleep clinic involvement. Yes I am beyond sleep deprived but I would never medicate without prescription for an easy life.

It is absolutely 100% classed as a medicine in the UK and is only available on prescription.

In the USA it is classed as a food supplement. Food supplements, wherever you buy them, are only regulated as foods and may have wildly different content to what is stated on the label. Some will be fine, some will not.

So for anyone still around a wee update. We have managed to get bedtime between 10/11pm and wake up at 10.30 instead of the 4am. While we are away for Xmas I don't mind this as much tbh. Soon will move to waking him at 8 and hopefully a 8pm bedtime.

No melatonin was used!!
I'll chalk this one up to temporary insanity due to lack of sleep.

I’m glad things are improving!