Melatonin users, over here please

[5inthebed]

DS2 has been on melatonin for a week now, but struggling to get him to take it. We have tried yoghurt, calpol (so wrong in many ways, but at my whits end) and milk. He just chews it as soon as its in his mouth so isn't getting the full effect of it. How do you give yours?

Also, is it best to use it daily, or intermittently when you think they are going to have a bad night? The Paed wasn't very helpful as he was in a rush at the end of our appointment, and I had to dash after waiting for over an hour at the hospital pharmacist .

I don't really want to give it to DS2 every day, don't want him to get reliant on it to sleep.

which one is it the slow relise is it in a capsule? we put ds in his pop very little about 6 30 he as no idea its in and he as very sensitive taste! we do use every nigh as we been told its not addictive hes only on 4mg

No its the tablet form. He is only on 2mg at the moment though, review in 8 weeks time. They don't appear to be working though as he is still awake really early

For DD we had it in liquid form and put it into her night time drink. Could you ask to try that instead if you are not getting on well with the tablets.

We did give it to her every night aswell.

the fisrt tablet they gave us was slow release tiold we could not open to put in drinks this one we can it works to by 8 hes asking to go to bed,he still wakes in the night but goes back off quicker

DS2 is good and always goes to bed at 7. Its getting him to stay there thats the problem. He wakes ever few hours and potters aroun. Wasn't a problem when he was smaller, but now he can turn on lights and open doors. He needs the slow release one, and I don't think the liquid form does that?

Is it the capsule Trace that you have?I can call the pharmacy tomorrow and request this for him.

ben has his every night and has gradually increased dose since he started it last august i think it was, he is on 4mg but looking to see if i can get it increased next time we see the paed! we give it to him in yoghurt, well fromage frais as found it easier than yoghurt as its thicker! weve been using it every night since last august and he has needed more and more as time has progressed but still kind of works, not stunning though i should add, but maybe thats just because not got right dose yet

Do you give it whole Jenny? I have to give DS2 his whole, but its a nightmare! I think it is fromage frais I give him, always get the two mixed up

Our neuro has suggested melatonin for DS, but his problem is not going to sleep rather that he wakes up every couple of hours. Very interested in this thread.

WMF, thats like my DS2. Goes to bed and goes to sleep ok, but wakes loads, more than the baby does. I only got melatonin for him as HV suggested it when she came to do DS3's 3 month check.

it does work if he doesn't chew the tablet, have had 2 successful dosages. I just need to get him to swallow it whole!

No chance of getting a tablet in his mouth.
Is there a slow release liquid, because that is what we will need. I'm going to ask the paed at our next appointment as the neuro just wanted to throw a prescription at me without discussion.

I had to make an appointment with my paed for it as out next app wasn't until December.

following this as i am hoping paed willl prescribe it but no way ds will swallow tablet wholeno matter what put it in

WMF - Unfortunately there isn't a slow release liquid, because it all gets absorbed at the same time.

Not to want to offend, but when we have had to medicate our dog, we cut a slit in a knob of cheese & hide it in there. Would that work?

DD has the liquid, which is great for getting her off but doesn't solve the night wakings.

LOL Lou, not offended at all. Actually, when the pharmacist said he had to give it whole, I joked about giving it to him like a dog, putting it in his mouth and rubbing his throat.

Sadly, he has cottoned on to the yoghurt and refused it tonight so we had to result to harsh tactics and put it in his mouth and make him have a drink. Don't want him going off youghurt as its one of the few things I know he will eat on a bad day.

Thanks for that Lou. It looks as if I am going to have to get inventive. Makes sense about the liquid being absorbed though.
Cheese is hit and miss - yoghurt and banana are the only things never refused here, so maybe I can hide something in those.

I would say yoghurt would be the best bet wmf, as you don't need to chew yoghurt to swallow it, making it more likely the tablet will be swallowed whole iykwim.

Ds has had a few different versions. The best one IMHO was one that could be diluted in a tiny amount of water and then hidden in drinks.

He has the slow-release capsules atm but ds point-blank refuses to swallow them so I have to tip the contents out and mix them in to yoghurt. He knows he is taking it though so it obviously doesn't mask the taste that well. He calls it his magic yoghurt.

The Paed's advice was that ideally you should use it at first to try to get a better sleeping pattern and then just use it when needed. Ds went from being regularly wide awake until 1am to falling asleep by 9pm. Once that was established he didn't need it so much.

He's taking it most nights atm though because his sleep pattern went haywire when the clocks went forward. Other times it can be weeks between doses.

Ben has his whole in a fromage frais, sometims h swallows it whole, sometimes he hews it but at least it sometimes is whole so we get some sleep, not great but better than before so cant moan!

We tried it last year for our dd (3 yrs) when she was waking more during the night for hours. It was the slow release tablets. We used to crush them and mix with yoghurt which was a bit sandy in texture but she took it. It didn't really work though. She then started having probs going to sleep before 11pm earlier this year and it was a nightmare so we tried it again and it was instantly effective. Now we're on 2mg capsules every night about 20 minutes before sleep time and she only has one capsule but we empty it out in to yoghurt and she takes it fine. It's tasteless so compared to her disgusting anti-convulsants it's heaven! And we have our evenings back.. for now at least...

We tried it last year for our dd (3 yrs) when she was waking more during the night for hours. It was the slow release tablets. We used to crush them and mix with yoghurt which was a bit sandy in texture but she took it. It didn't really work though. She then started having probs going to sleep before 11pm earlier this year and it was a nightmare so we tried it again and it was instantly effective. Now we're on 2mg capsules every night about 20 minutes before sleep time and she only has one capsule but we empty it out in to yoghurt and she takes it fine. It's tasteless so compared to her disgusting anti-convulsants it's heaven! And we have our evenings back.. for now at least...

I thought you weren't meant to crush the tablets?

Think we've cracked it anyway. DS2 will swallow the tablet whole if we give him the tablet with a drink of milk and a nesquick magic straw. The thinks you have to do!

Hi, my DD aged 4.5 has A.S and has been on melatonin 3mg for 2 mths now. I was prescribed the tablet too & andvised to crush it and mix it with water or milk but my local pharmacist spoke to the consultant and luckily this was changed to the liquid form.
My DD had enormous trouble getting to sleep which this has helped with, however she does still wake several times a night & i have only 1ce given her a 2nd dose in the early hours to help her go through.
I give it to my DD week nights and don't worry too much at the week ends, but i have found it has helped reduce tantrums etc as she isn't as tired and it has given me a few clear hours to get the chores done which i never had time for before.
My worry is that the 3mg dose isn't as effective as it was already and we're only 2mths down the line!

I'm getting the tablet in him fine now, but it isn't working. He is on 2mg so I think we need to increase it to 3mg. How long should I wait until I call paed? He has been on it for 3 weeks now and we got a 2 month supply.