melatonin

[ommmward]

Could you give it to a child every night or would it then stop working?

If it no longer worked, could you stop using it for a while and then start again and it would work again?

If you gave it to a child regularly but not all the time (once a week, say or once every three days), would it go on working for longer? for ever?

Thanks for any advice!

My DS has been prescribed liquid Melatonin but I have never been warned that he may build up a tolerance to it because it is absorbed very quickly by the body.

Because of this it also wears off after 2-3 hours. So it is useful for helping a child to get to sleep but it won't keep them asleep if they are used to waking throughout the night.

Slow-release Melatonin in the form of capsules or tablets may work differently. My son wouldn't tolerate them so I don't have any experience of this. But it is a natural (if expensive) product so I doubt that any sort of dependency would occur.

You need to give it every night it works by re training the body to sleep and is best used consistently over a long period so stopping and starting wont give long term results, if you feel its no longer working then see your paed about upping the dose, you can also get slow release called circadin which might be worth a try.
hope this is of some help

My ds has been on Melatonin for 3 months, fast release and slow release too, I have to say it does seem to be wearing off...I spoke to the Pead yesterday but the dose cannot be upped...so I am unsure tbh.

The problem is that it is still unlicensed, they don't know enough about it (dosage etc) so its all unchartered ground really.

I've been told by DD1's psychiatrist that Circadin is now licensed in the UK. For that reason she won't prescribe simple Melatonin any more, only Circadin.

I'm really worried about the wearing off bit... that's why if anyone has any anecdotes about long term use without it doing so, with some trick like only using it once a week, then I'd be really grateful!

my ds has been on melatonin now for over a yr and it doesnt ware off it just helps him doze off its been a godsend to us if he is really anxious may take longer to work or may wake in night but can be given again after 4 hrs and his soon back off again we have kidnaps liquid

we have tried not using it but then he just cannot fall asleep i did find when we first started out it seemed to ware off or not last long the longer he has been on it he seems to sleep longer and takes less time to work his asleep within 30 mins of taking i did have to learn when to give it by watching him though if over tired took well over an hr to work i had to get him just on the look of him getting tired rubbing eyes etc then i would settle for 7 oclock say he would be asleep my half past

some nights i have to put him to bed earlier and he still sleeps through the night if over tired and given it i find he doesnt sleep as long through night but now i have got the hang of the signs from him and worked out when and how he sleeps longer we are ok and he sleeps well every night now

not sure if i made much sense but i know what i mean lol it was all trial and error if over tired the affect was less on him if got him in time the affect lasted all night and settles well

its been over a yr and his still on same dose and as long as i dont allow him to get over tired before i give it he sleep sall night

if over tired he is awake hours and wakes in night and also up at 5 every morning it seems to have too much to contend with to work fully so some nights he can be in bed by 6.30 winding down i find this helps alot to wind down the melatonin at 7 asleep by 15 or 30 past 7

my ds has been on it just over 2 years now, the dose has increased slightly as he got used to it but it still kind of works - it doesnt work all the time but enough to help, we give it to him every night and he has circidin the slow release ones

hth

dd2 has been on it for just over 2 years and the increases were in the early months but she has been on same dose now for about 18 months, and it still seems to work well.

She gets off to sleep now and sleeps for a good few hours although we're not on the slow release ones so still have wakings later on in night but it does work for us in getting her off to sleep.

She has it in small amount of yoghurt and she was off her food a few months ago and wouldn't take it one night. We thought she'd be fine without it as she was in a routine of going to sleep pretty quickly but she was awake for hours that evening, so it clearly works!

thank you all - I'm beginning to get more of a picture of how this could work for us!

Sorry to butt in but my dd goes to bed fine but wakes in the night for about three hours.

Would a Dr give melatonin for that and if so would I just give it when she wakes?

Also are there any side effects?

hi dounutbrain, the only melatonin that would help for that would be the slow release one before she went to bed ie to keep her asleep, though they may suggest normal fast release type ones when she wakes i guess its up to the paediatrician and maybe depends how often it happens etc.

side effects, there are some on the leaflet but dont think they are common at all, my ds has had melatonin for over 2 years now and as far as im aware no side effects, i dont think anyone on here has ever mentioned there dc having side effects though i may be wrong. its essentially something the body produces anyway but some people dont produce enough hence needing the tablets so pretty natural type stuff so not likely with side effects really. they sell it in america so it cant be that bad!

MISSTIRED
Thanks for the info. I will have to ask paed next time I see him,when I told him about sleep problems last time he told me to just leave her in her room and let her get on with it. My worry is that she will hurt herself though as she gets a bit hypo in the night and tries to do forward rolls off the bed. I feel sorry for her as she just cant seem to get back to sleep.
Have to sort something out soon though as it is getting worse as she is gettting older.
Glad it works for your ds and theres no side effects.