by Sr Teresa Hayward (RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep Consultant)
As a sleep consultant I honestly feel this is not the right route to go and during my research have found that other sleep consultants and Paediatricians feel the same way.
Melatonin is not natural or homeopathic. It is a hormone. It is as natural as you taking your Contraceptive pill or Diabetics using insulin.
Melatonin is a hormone made by the Pineal gland. During the day the Pineal gland is inactive but when the sun goes down it becomes active. It then produces Melatonin. As Melatonin levels rise you will feel less alert and sleep becomes inviting.
Melatonin is used for the treatment of sleep disorders and not sleep problems. There is a difference. It is commonly used in Jet Lag.
For Melatonin to help, the correct dosage, method and time of day it is taken must be appropriate to the sleep disorder.
Melatonin is effective in helping children to fall asleep quickly but is it SAFE!
Melatonin is a hormone and giving it on a regular basis over months will have a negative effect. Children do become dependent on it and then need it in order to fall asleep.
Parents are using Melatonin for their benefit and not their childs. Rather skip Melatonin and teach your child to sleep.
It can be extremely dangerous to give Melatonin to babies under 2years without a script from a Doctor and most 1st world countries will not sell it without a script. It can be hazardous to their health but also you don’t know what dosage your baby may need. Overdosing can cause serious developmental disorders, brain disorders and death.
Melatonin is used in the treatment of sleep disorders in children, NOT BABIES! It is often used in children with Autism and ADHD.
If your baby has a sleep problem, rather consult with a trained sleep consultant to sort the problem out instead of going straight for the medication route.
A parent can help to induce a natural surge of the Melatonin hormone in their baby by initiating a good bed time routine and ensuring baby is not over stimulated by bedtime. To prevent overstimulation ensure that baby is having enough naps during the day. To initiate a good bedtime routine, about an hour before bedtime take them to bath, from the bath take them to their sleep environment which is already dimly lit, quiet and has the curtains drawn. This alone with start the Melatonin levels rising. Do not take them to the hub of the activity again. You then have quiet time for at least 20 - 40min before they go down. Talking is done in hushed tones. No white screens as that will prevent the release of Melatonin. This means no ipads, cellular phones or televisions in the sleep environment.
Here are some of the side effects of Melatonin:
It is possibly unsafe when taken on a long term and because it is a hormone that you are supplementing not only will it prevent the bodies natural release of the hormone but will affect the other hormones in the body and interfere with their function
· Depression
· Day time sleepiness
· Stomach cramps
· Dizziness
· Irritability
· Headaches
· Infertilty
· Can have a negative of puberty
Please think before administering any kind of Drug to a child to help them to sleep. Rather try and correct the problem. Also always think, would I take a drug to sleep. If your answer is no, then why are you drugging your baby? Rather consult with a sleep consultant such as myself that doesn’t practice the crying out method.
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