Melatonin for Babies, Toddlers and Infants – Usage Guide

Minor sleep issues are a common occurrence in young children, but some experience sleep problems that are much more severe. These problems can make it difficult for children to fall asleep and stay asleep, leading to poor sleep quality that can have physical, mental and emotional effects.

Melatonin is a supplement that might help correct sleep issues and promote healthier sleep. This natural compound helps to regulate sleep cycles in the brain and may improve sleep quality and duration.

But is Melatonin safe for toddlers and babies to use and what are the recommended dosages? There are special considerations to keep in mind when administering dietary supplements to babies or toddlers.

While melatonin is considered to have a low risk of side effects in adults, it should only be given to children and infants under the direction from a physician. Here is what you need to know before giving melatonin to a baby or toddler.

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What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone that the brain’s pineal gland naturally produces each day. This hormone is responsible for certain biological functions, including the regulation of circadian rhythm and the release of estrogen and other female reproductive hormones.

When melatonin levels are affected by factors such as stress, developmental disorders or sleep disorders, falling asleep and staying asleep for long periods of time can become a problem. This is due to disruptions in circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal clock that makes people feel sleepy when it is dark and awake during the day.

Melatonin supplements are designed to help correct abnormalities or deficiencies of this hormone in the body. These supplements provide the body with a higher level of this hormone, which can help regulate circadian rhythm for improved sleep quality. Taking these supplements can make it possible for children to fall asleep more quickly at night.

Melatonin for Toddlers and Babies

Melatonin is typically used to treat sleep problems or disorders in children who have autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or other developmental disorders. Its usage might help improve sleep quality in children with these disorders by allowing them to sleep for longer periods of time.

Melatonin is also used for children without developmental disorders who experience sleep problems, but research into the safety and effectiveness of this use is limited.

For babies and toddlers, melatonin may help children fall asleep in a shorter amount of time and remain sleeping throughout the night. This leads to improvements in sleep quality, which can help promote better physical health and emotional well-being.

Giving melatonin to an infants or toddlers can also ease anxiety in children who are having minor surgical procedures done.

Recommended Dosages

You should only give melatonin to a baby or toddler under the guidance of a physician. These supplements are available in liquid and oral tablet forms. Liquid melatonin is more appropriate to give younger children than oral tablets.

Liquid melatonin dosage for children depends on several factors, including age, underlying medical conditions and the symptoms or conditions being treated by melatonin.

The exact melatonin dosage for toddlers should be determined by a physician who is familiar with the child’s medical history. The physician can decide on a safe dosage that is appropriate for the child to take.

For children who are undergoing minor surgery, a single melatonin dosage of 0.3 mg/kg has been considered safe to take in order to reduce preoperative anxiety, according to a 2009 study published in Anesthesiology. [1]

However, this dosage may not be appropriate for all children and should not be used as a guideline.

How to Take Melatonin for Infants

Melatonin should be given to babies, infants and toddlers as instructed by a physician. Physicians might start children out with low doses of melatonin and gradually increase the dosage within safe limits if lower doses are not effective.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, humans usually produce less than 0.3 mg of melatonin naturally each day. [2] In many cases, physicians keep melatonin dosages at or around this amount to lower the risk of side effects or adverse reactions.

Melatonin is not intended for long-term use in children. Those who take melatonin supplements should do so on a temporary basis to correct sleep problems, and these supplements should only be used for the length of time recommended by a physician.

Possible Side Effects of Melatonin for Babies

Is it safe to give a toddler or baby melatonin supplements? Although melatonin can effectively promote improved sleep in children with developmental disorders, as well as those without these disorders, the long-term effects of these supplements is unknown due to limited research, according to the Mayo Clinic. [3]

There are some concerns over the effects of melatonin on gonadal development, since children typically produce higher amounts of this hormone naturally until they are around 20 years old. The high levels attained by adding melatonin via supplementation might have an adverse effect on gonadal development.

Parents should discuss the potential side effects and adverse reactions of melatonin use with a physician in order to make an informed decision on whether or not to have children take this supplement.

Melatonin supplements given in high doses can also increase the risk of side effects in younger children. UMMC states that melatonin doses that are higher than 1 to 5 mg might lead to an increased risk of seizures in children.

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