We are fans of melatonin in our house! all three of my boys are prescribed it by paediatrician.
Its very good for children who struggle getting to sleep...so should help your DS. (apparently not so useful if the child gets to sleep then awakens...however some on here have reported that cos this gets their child into a relaxed sleep quicker- they go longer before the first night waking than they did before)
my eldest never yawns before he takes melatonin!!! He is never tired naturally. my ds2 gets physically tired and irratable- but cannot switch of mentally- and my ds3b is like ds1- very active.
my tips are....
get capsules (NOT TABLETS)
30 mins before 'desired' bedtime (!!!) tip the powder from the capsule into a small cool drink- coolish warm drinks are ok...or add to a little yogurt- or inside a small sandwhich.
most makes of it are tastless...our favourite is Penn Pharmaceutacals- theirs dissolve completely- Tyso ones are the worst- they are like talc and smell/taste foul.
So....assuming he has taken it ....sit back and wait for the first yawn!!! 20 mins should do it!!! Then get him in bed as usually the first time they take it it really hits them hard!!!! poor loves don't know whats hit them!!!
i cried when we gave it to ds1- as we had never had a night where he slept for more than 4 hours- and the first night he slep after taking melatonin was so emotional for me- at age 9 he was finally my 'sleeping baby' that i had never had!
We were on the verge of requesting sleeping tablets/tranquilisers for him- so to try melatonin and find it worked was such a relief as it's not addictive etc.
ds1 has been taking it 4 years now- and it still works!!!! His does has changed a little as he also takes meds for ADHD- which mean he needs more melatonin than my other 2 boys.
ds1 has 6mg
ds2 has 3mg (with 3mg top up if very anxious and still awake at 10pm)
ds3 has 1.5-3mg
Occaisionally, in summer when we are in the garden later , or if we ever have suprise visitors... we forget to give the melatonin...and cos its late...have assumed they will be worn out and naturally sleep. but they don't!!!! So even as late as 10 or 11 we give the melatonin and they are esaily woken the next moring for school- which would not be the case with sleeping pills etc- there seems to be no 'hangover' effect from melatonin.
ask me more...i do go on and on...just hope it does help your son. our paed saved our family life when she suggested it!!!