Melatonin - only if you heard from a doc

amother

Tue, May 04 2021, 8:54 pm

My paediatrician holds strongly of giving kids melo chews to fall asleep.(if they have a hard time) She claims there are zero studies that show its harmful. I know though that the doc I used before doesn’t hold from it at all. If you heard either way from ur Paediatrician what were his/her claims?

amother

Silver

Tue, May 04 2021, 8:57 pm

I told a neurologist at a prestigious hospital we give our son 1/6th mg to help him fall asleep. She laughed and said to just give him the whole mg.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:01 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

My paediatrician holds strongly of giving kids melo chews to fall asleep. She claims there are zero studies that show its harmful. I know though that the doc I used before doesn’t hold from it at all. If you heard either way from ur Paediatrician what were his/her claims?

Most children should be able to sleep relying on their own natural melatonin and healthy levels of activity during the day. That's why peds don't recommend them.

amother

Seagreen

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:04 pm

Dr. Susan Schulman says that sleep is crucial and it is safe to give melatonin to children who have trouble going to sleep.

amother

Green

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:05 pm

amother [ Seagreen ] wrote:

Dr. Susan Schulman says that sleep is crucial and it is safe to give melatonin to children who have trouble going to sleep.

Dr. Shanik says the same.

cnc

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:07 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

Most children should be able to sleep relying on their own natural melatonin and healthy levels of activity during the day. That's why peds don't recommend them.

Some people have a deficiency of melatonin which is why they use pills to supplement.

Dr. Shulman and other physicians have told me that it's completely fine.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:11 pm

cnc wrote:

Some people have a deficiency of melatonin which is why they use pills to supplement.

Dr. Shulman and other physicians have told me that it's completely fine.

that's rather different that "My paediatrician holds strongly of giving kids melo chews to fall asleep"

How do they test for melatonin deficiency?

amother

Silver

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:12 pm

Nobody tests for that. It’s just assumed that if a kid can’t fall asleep and melatonin helps that that’s what it is.

amother

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:14 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

that's rather different that "My paediatrician holds strongly of giving kids melo chews to fall asleep"

How do they test for melatonin deficiency?

I’m sorry I phrased it wrong. She holds strongly
That if a kid doesn’t fall asleep give melo chews. She claims it’s worse if a kid doesn’t sleep then to take it

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:18 pm

amother [ Silver ] wrote:

Nobody tests for that. It’s just assumed that if a kid can’t fall asleep and melatonin helps that that’s what it is.

Thats not accurate.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:19 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I’m sorry I phrased it wrong. She holds strongly
That if a kid doesn’t fall asleep give melo chews. She claims it’s worse if a kid doesn’t sleep then to take it

Sleep is important. Agreed.

cbsp

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:19 pm

Yes.

Was encouraged by 2 different specialists (neuro-developmental at Children's Specialized Hospital and neurologist at CHoP) for 2 different kids.

amother

Cobalt

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:25 pm

My mil and I once had ‘disagreement’ if we should giv dd melachew. We were by her for Shabbos and forgot dd blanket at home and she couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to give it bec I didn’t feel it was a melatonin difficiency but just a missing toy.

Later that week when we’re together and bumped into a longtime Lakewood dr. He said it was 100% safe to give. He gives to his kids after a vacation to get back on a sleep schedule even if not difficient. He said he’s followed many studies and feels it’s ok.

I guess my MIL won that one. I still love her.

I still don’t like giving it - but that is just me.

amother

Apricot

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:28 pm

I was working with a holistic nutritionist and OT who was the most natural person I ever met (way too over the top - like she suggested making butternut squash chips for my children to take to school instead of regular potato chips)
And she recommended davinci liposomal melatonin spray. She said that it helps the brain detox etc. who knows if that’s true but if she gives it to her kids with her health philosophy I would give to mine (which I do)

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:28 pm

amother [ Silver ] wrote:

which part?

Dosing a child with melatonin is indicative of a melatonin deficiency if it helps the child sleep.

amother

Silver

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:32 pm

amother [ Apricot ] wrote:

Absolutely true. You can google scholar it yourself. But you’d need high supplemental doses to really see a difference.

amother

Silver

Tue, May 04 2021, 9:32 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

Dosing a child with melatonin is indicative of a melatonin deficiency if it helps the child sleep.

I didn’t say that. I said that’s what people assume.