This month’s article was originally going to be about sleep and chronic pain, but I decided to make a last minute change spurred by a recent conversation with one of my staff members. She asked me about the trend of using melatonin for helping kids fall asleep. She had been seeing a lot of references to it recently on Facebook and in other media and wanted to know if it was safe.
Bottom line, it can be dangerous for a parent to give their child melatonin as a sleep aid without being under the direct supervision of a health care professional.
WHAT IS MELATONIN?
Melatonin has been called the “hormone of darkness.” The brain begins to produce melatonin when the sun sets, signaling your body that bedtime is coming soon. Melatonin is your body’s natural way of setting your sleep and wake cycles.
Melatonin is a hormone, just like estrogen, testosterone, or HGh (Human Growth Hormone). Would you give your child one of these without being under the supervision of a health care professional?
As with so many over-the-counter medications and supplements, I can’t stress enough that just because it’s available at most drug stores, does not mean it’s safe.
In fact, the National Institutes of Health’s website MedlinePlus states “Melatonin should not be used in most children. It is POSSIBLY ...
