Should we use melatonin?

[MooMummyMoo]

My DD (3.5) - waiting v.likely Asperger diagnosis - is really struggling to settle at night. She used to have a dummy but gave it up a couple of months ago and since then it takes 2 hours (and more) for her to get to sleep.

When I saw her paediatrician it came up in conversation and she offered us melatonin to help.

What would you do? Should I give it a bit longer to see if she can learn to settle herself without the dummy? Would melatonin 'reset' her sleeping pattern? Or would we end up relying on the melatonin??

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts?

LeCien, on the evidence of only 3 days, id say crushed it works for ds in about 30 mins.

Thank you :)

kojackscat really hope you've cracked it - enjoy your evenings!

DT2 takes liquid melatonin (kidmel) and is happy for me to squirt it in his mouth using a syringe. He's out for the count well within 30 mins.

JazzerciseThis what type of magnesium do you use and how do you give it to your DS? I've just realised I have some magnesium oil spray that I bought for DH to use on his foot for suspected toe psoriasis (gross, sorry)

Thanks JazzerciseThis very useful info.

I put Epsom salts in his bath but I've not noticed a huge difference. The last couple of nights I put a small squirt of the magnesium oil spray on the sole of one foot. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not but he slept very well...although he woke at 5am.

I'll try again tonight. Will report back if it continues to work.