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SN children

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Original poster

Anyone still using melatonin?

18 replies

Eulalia · 16/03/2007 12:33

Did a search on this and found quite a few Mnetters giving this to their children a year or two ago. Just wondered if you were still using it it and whether you'd had sucess with it long term or not.

ds1 started it on Monday, 2mg for two weeks down to 1mg the following two weeks. It certainly seems to zonk him out. I received no instructions as to what to do after 4 weeks so am a bit confused as the to the long term implications. Also does he have to take if every night, was thinking he could have a break at the weekends?

Thanks.

OP posts:

coppertop · 16/03/2007 16:11

When the Paed prescribed it to ds2 he said that the long-term goal was to alter ds2's sleeping pattern so that he could eventually fall asleep at a reasonable time without it.

So far it's working well. Our general strategy is that if ds2 isn't asleep by a certain time we give him melatonin. If he falls asleep without it then obviously that's great. Sometimes he can go for days or even weeks without it.

Basically you can have a break from it whenever you want. It's one of those things that you just use when needed. Some children will need it long-term to get them to sleep. Others will only need it to get their sleeping pattern back on track. HTH.

geekgrrl · 16/03/2007 16:14

we used both normal and slow-release and it made absolutely no difference unfortunately.
AFAIK it can be used indefinitly.

PeachyClair · 16/03/2007 16:21

Yep

It wears off I have found (although a mega does ahs some effect) but that may nbe Sam manipulating it, he knows to grab a drink or whatever these days. So I save it for deperation: always works first time in a while.

Also use as a mild sedativew when he blows

Braks are fine, not a problem at all

Original poster

Eulalia · 16/03/2007 22:40

Thanks to all who replied - I know ds's sleeping isn't as bad as many but has been slowly creeping later and later and getting to the point where I couldn't get to bed myself. Now he is sleeping at 10pm, still not terribly early but manageable.

Just out of interest - how much sleep does your child have?

OP posts:

mum24boyz · 17/03/2007 14:28

i have melatonin for my 4 yr old, it was prescribes to try to regulate his sleeping, he's been on it about 6 wks now. it works to get him to sleep, but he is still waking in the night most nights, which is what i was hoping to get out of, i do give him it every night but have wondered myself about leaving him without.

Original poster

Eulalia · 17/03/2007 21:10

mum24boyz - I think you can give top ups in the night? But not really solving the problem is it? Fortunately my ds doesn't wake and in fact he is usually sound asleep in the morning and I have to wake him for school. Anyway try a search on the archives on mumsnet as I found quite a bit of info there.

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Mamazon · 17/03/2007 21:30

My ds is taking 3mg every night.
It sounds as if your DR is trying to kick start his natural sleeping pattern with the hope that by week 4 you wont need to medicate at all.

At one stage he wouldn'y go to sleep till after midnight and then be up again at 6am. then anything from 1-4 times a week he wouild wake in the night for an hour or so until i could get him back to sleep.

since starting the melatonin he goes from about 10pm to around 6-6:30am.
To me its amazing. i dont give him the pills on a friday or saturday as it doesn't matter if he doesn't sleep...he was still as hyperactive with 4 hours sleep, it was me that needed the extra hours!

jambuttie · 18/03/2007 12:56

My DS is on 3mg nightly,as ben for a year now. It does put him over to sleep but doesnt keep imsleeping alnight everynight.

I can handle him better that we are getting some restno though have to say

JOSIE3 · 18/03/2007 12:58

we use valergan now.

jhyesmum · 19/03/2007 09:46

Hi! My DS has been on Melatonin since November.

We find it to be excellent.

miniandme · 19/03/2007 18:26

my ds1 has been on melatonin for 4 years now,he takes 3mg sometimes he takes another 3 but not so often.It is touch wood still woroking as well as the day he started on it,without it he doesnt sleep at all!!With it he will sleep from 9 till about 7ish,he's 11.

mummy2aaron · 19/03/2007 20:13

I have used Melatonin now for ds who has autism and is 4 for about 6 months. It's the only way I can get him to sleep and he is up and about anytime from 4am in the morning raring to go - giving him more doesn't work, moving his bedtime back doesn't work it's like he has an internal alarm clock. Unfortunately DD doesn't sleep well either and wakes at 1am. I am hoping one day I will be too knackered to be roused at all and just let them get on with it.

Original poster

Eulalia · 19/03/2007 21:00

Thanks for all the further contributions... I realise I have it easier compared to some. Don't you find it destroys your relationship with your other half? dh has to get up early for work and often goes to bed before the kids do - he had a day off work recently and we spent part of it watching a DVD which was a real novelty. Things other people just take for granted.

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jhyesmum · 19/03/2007 21:04

I agree with you. Our DS wouldn't go to be until we did. we didn't have any time together, and DS was do tired for school the next day. It was a visous cycle.

I like melatonin though because (as my peadiatrian said), it is a natural hormone. it's already in the brain this just gives it a boost. I don't feel like i'm drugging DS up.

It has definatly made is huge difference to our family life as well as DS's school life.

StephanieA · 21/03/2007 08:26

Our DD was prescribed Melatonin at the beginning of January, to try get her to sleep before she started 'headbanging' - unfortunately it didnt suit her. It took over an hour to work, and she would wake at 1/2am, wide awake and ready for the new day, whereas prior to being on the melatonin, she would sleep for 12 hours plus.

Regards
Stephanie

ClutterJunkie · 21/03/2007 14:22

Hi Eulalia

(MrsF here!)

We're still using melatonin.....for 2 of my sons...every night and ds3 takes it if he has gone to bed at say 8 and comes down at 9/10pm....he responds well to 1/2 a 2.5mg capsule.

ds2 needs it to trigger him into 'sleep routine mode'....as in he has it at 8 and after 20mins he begins his bedtime rituals unprompted....he will then trot off to bed as he says 'when my yawns are at full stengnth'....usually by 8.45. he would probably do the same if he had it at 6pm....tempted to try it (!!!)...but he always wakes up about 5.30am! he has 2.5mg at 8 and maybe another 2.5 between 9 and 11 if he has not got to sleep.

ds3 takes meds for ADHD and his dose of melatonin varies on what time he took his adhd meds....so on a school night - cos he takes concerta tabs at 6.30am...he only takes 5mg melatonin at 9pm- he is then asleep by 10 (he's 13yrs old) in the holidays/weekends he tends to take his concerta about 8 or 9...meaning that if we want him asleep by 10 (maybe sunday night- for school) then we give him a 5mg dose of melatonin at 9 - then if at 9.45 when he goes to his room- he is still bright eyed and bushy tailed- or moaning he'd not tired...then he has another 2.5mg dose- making total of 7.5mg....however...if its not that important he gets to sleep - as he's older and likes watching films with us at the weekend- then if i wait till 10 and give him 5mg he'll sleep well

one real problem we have had in the past year is that superdrug kept changing which manufacturer they got the melatonin from....which is a real pain as they don't all dissolve in drinks...the worst was like talc...stuck to the glass...none appeared to end up in my sons!!!!
so we now have swapped to Boots as they have promised to only get me the make 'Penn Pharamceautical'...having discovered they were not much more expensive than the 'tyson' make we struggled with.
the paed tried stipulating a brand on the prescription- but the pharmacy apparently don't have to comply....

so if any of you have tried it- and given up due to child refusing as tastes vile or doesn't dissolve....see if your pharmasist can get the 'Penn' ones...as they just dissolve almost without stirring- and my ds2 (the one who can tell the difference between one type of potato and another...) well...he does not detect it!

Original poster

Eulalia · 21/03/2007 21:36

Hi Clutterjunkie - like the new name! It must get complicated for you with all those different doses at different times for different children! I put ds's into yoghurt or choc mousse and it mixes in really well. I've not told him I am giving it which seems wrong somehow to me but I am not sure he's old enough to understand quite yet. Anyway he's off it just now as he's not well which is a rare occurence and actually slept in the daytime today for an hour on the sofa and still gone up to bed earlyish about 9.15pm.

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ClutterJunkie · 21/03/2007 23:37

its easier when i remember to get the paed to write the prescriptions for just 2.5mg....so i have just 1 strength in the med cupboard....but usually i forget and she orders ds1's as 7.5mg...rather than '3x2.5mg'...so we end up with several pots of 2.5 and several of 5mg... all identically sized annonymous looking white capsules...and yes...ds1 has been given 3 5mg in error....and ds2 has had 5mg by mistake....but the paed assures me that its not like if they had overdoses of tranquilisers.

like i said on a notehr thread...its probaby easier having all 3 taking it...in a way i wish they'd hurry up on ds3's diagnosis...so that i could start 'legitamilly' giving him some EVERY night....and then i'd just be able to line them up and 1,2,3...job done.

i joke about this...but realise that i'd feel completely different if this were a sleeping tablet/sedative etc.
somehow i can accept the 'body clock' being less regular...and melatonin helping ....but if this were something more of a sedative...i guess i'd feel guilty?

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