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SN children

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Original poster

Can we talk about Melatonin please.

44 replies

MarioandLuigi · 27/01/2011 14:19

DS has never been a good sleeper - he is 4 next month and I am so bloody tired.

He has been waking up 2-3 times a night for the last two years. It has never been a big problem as he just wanted me to go in and lay with him, sing some songs and give him big squeezes.

Then after we had some success with a weighted vest I decided to buy a weighted blanket. I thought I had struck gold because he didnt need me to go in anymore, he would still wake up but was quite happy by himself.

Thats lasted 3 months. Now he is getting up everynight three or 4 times (this has lasted 2 weeks so far). He wants to get up and play/watch DVD's etc. If I try and put him back to bed he just screams for about 20-30 minutes. He doesnt want me in his bed with him anymore - he pushes me away and says no. He also takes off his nappy and west the bed.

Our Paed recommended Melatonin before but I dismissed the idea because it want really a problem, but if this carries on it is going to be a problem.

I dont know much about melatonin, and I dont want him to feel dopey, especially as lack of sleep isnt getting to him - he has as much energy as ever. Its me that its getting to.

Sorry, I sound so selfish :(.

OP posts:

Schrodingersmum · 28/04/2015 08:26

Hi greener, no diagnosis yet but being assessed for ASD and has a form of hyperacussis, Paed still happily prescribed Melatonin after I had bought and given so proved it worked! But I am a nurse and followed the dosing protocols

LoupDeLou79 · 29/04/2015 15:26

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LoupDeLou79 · 29/04/2015 15:32

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greener2 · 29/04/2015 20:32

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Pomegranatemolasses · 29/04/2015 22:21

One thing I noticed with melatonin, is that it is really important to have all the 'cues' for sleep in place. Dim light is particularly essential.

We give Ds his melatonin about an hour before sleeptime, ie half an hour before bed. It works well as long as we can be sure that he doesn't turn his bedside light back on after we have left the room!

Pomegranatemolasses · 29/04/2015 22:22

Also yes, it should work straight away for you.

TravellingCircus3 · 02/05/2015 22:57

Hi, I am looking to buy Melatonin from a safe place. Please could you PM me? Thank you

daska · 05/09/2015 18:31

I have to challenge the notion that there are no side effects - just because most people don't experience them doesn't mean they don't happen!

My lad developed one of the rarer ones - psoriasis. It also worsens his anxiety, which is fairly common.

We do use it very occasionally if we go through a period when his sleep is particularly poor but by that I mean a stretch of several nights when he hasn't fallen asleep before the early hours.

I regard it as a miracle drug, it certainly got him to sleep easily which is what he needed. We just couldn't justify the cost of the side effects. If it works for you then that's fabulous and I am green with envy...

Pikachoomumma · 09/10/2015 08:40

Life changing! Very low side effects profile, short half life so no drowsiness, also available as slow release though (Circadin). Fantastic stuff!

Frusso · 09/10/2015 09:09

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PolterGoose · 09/10/2015 09:19

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GURUAID · 22/09/2016 21:09

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GURUAID · 22/09/2016 21:20

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GURUAID · 22/09/2016 21:29

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tish2017 · 24/07/2017 12:47

Are they any groups in London that help parents with children who are on Melatonin? Are they any support groups?

scrabble1 · 24/07/2017 15:36

Has anyone used the melatonin from Biovea?

Bobbins43 · 24/07/2017 22:24

Melatonin is AMAZING. If I can get my son to take it (usually the issue) by about 6pm, he is out by 8pm. He just starts to yawn and gets tired and asks to go upstairs.

It can take him some time to settle (sometimes) and sometimes he still wakes up during the night (it doesn't help with that) but it is a ruddy lifesaver.

He's asleep now and has been since about 8.30pm. I am downstairs (odd in itself). Before melatonin, he would have been downstairs half an hour ago, insisting I come up.

ilovesprouts · 02/01/2018 12:04

My son has alimemazine and Can only get it from the doctors.

minipie · 11/02/2018 16:44

Old thread I know but just to add my experience. DD age 5 has mild CP and has always struggled with sleep, a bit with switching off at bedtime but especially getting back to sleep if she wakes in the night or too early in the morning.

Before melatonin she was so tired her behaviour was appalling, she couldn't manage doing anything in the afternoons and was having to nap age 4.5 just to get through the day.

Melatonin has made a huge difference, I can now get her back to sleep quickly if she wakes in the early hours rather than her lying awake for 3 hours. And if she wakes far too early (like 4.30) I can get her back to sleep for a bit whereas previously it would have been game over. (provided I can persuade her to lie still and quiet that is!!).

Her behaviour and concentration are transformed, she also falls over a lot less.

I can't say enough good things about it. No side effects that i have seen. She is on a low dose (1-2mg) of liquid form.

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