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Original poster

Melatonin,has anyone tried it?

9 replies

hami7 · 12/04/2006 17:45

Hello, could anybody tell me if they have tried melatonin for autistic spectrum disorders.
My sons occupational therapist rocommended it as he only slept for about 3- 4 hours a night. He has been on it for a month and the difference is amazing. He is much more alert and thinks for himself much more.
Headaches were the only side effect known apparently, which he hasnt had.
Im just wondering if anyone has tried it, im still worried something could go wrong. ThanksSmile

OP posts:
desperateSCOUSEstrife · 12/04/2006 17:47

hami ds2 has been on melatonin on and off for 3-4 yrs now, it could be longer.
He doesnt have what your child has but was prescribed it as he was awake alot of the time.
it has helped.

monica2 · 12/04/2006 18:00

Hami dd 10 has AS and has been on melatonin for 2 years, we have had better success recently by combining a slow realease form of melatonin along with the normal 3mg tab, not had any side effect to date btw. (We did give her more than her stated dose whilst on holiday and she was stressed and she did have a fuzzy head the day after)

Lillypond · 12/04/2006 18:01

DS (4 yr's old and autistic) has had it for the last 6 months. On the whole it's been brilliant and most of the time he is asleep within 30 minutes of taking it. The only downside for us is that he frequently wakes after 3-4 hours of sleeping and nothing will get him back to sleep again. It's a big improvement on his natural sleeping pattern though.

anniebear · 12/04/2006 20:49

Didn't work for us Sad

have tried it 3 seperate occasions now

coppertop · 12/04/2006 21:12

Ds2 (3yrs) started taking it about 6 weeks ago. It generally gets him to sleep within about 30-40mins as long as I keep him fairly calm and quiet. This is not always possible though as he tends to get hyper when tired.

Like Lillypond's ds he will often wake up a few hours later so it's by no means a perfect solution.

I haven't noticed any side-effects at all tbh and ds2 is generally less destructive when he's had a reasonable amount of sleep.

Loobie · 12/04/2006 21:33

DS1 has been on it for almost 3 years now,he didnt nod off to sleep till 1,2 am from being in bed at 8!! he now takes it at 7.30 bed at 8 and off to sleep,he stays asleep all night but night waking was never part of his problem it was getting off to sleep that caused the biggest probs for him

Original poster
hami7 · 13/04/2006 13:11

Thank you all very, very much you have really put my mind at rest.

OP posts:
louise35 · 18/04/2006 22:39

My DD has been taking melatonin for about a year. She has ADHD and it was quite normal for her to be wondering about after midnight. She still does not settle straight away some nights bit the improvement from before has been tremendous. I once tried one of the tablets myself as an experiment and they do not make you feel artificlally drowsy but they do seem to make you feel naturally tired. Melatonin is what we all have in out bodies anyway so its completely natural, you're just helping a natural process along a little bit quicker than usual. :o

Chocol8 · 19/04/2006 18:07

Hi Hami - my ds (AS/ADHD) takes 9mg of melatonin every night at 7.30 to be in bed and tired by 8pm. I found that 6mg did nothing and that the capsules worked better than the tablets for some reason.

Every so often he seems immune to it, but I just give it a break of a few days and it seems to work again.

I read that in the US, it is a food group... correct me if i'm wrong guys.

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