Many parents wonder if it is safe to take melatonin for children. It has been used as a sleep aid in adults for some time, but it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for short term use in children. Short term use of any sleep aid can be dangerous, but this one has been shown to have fewer complications than some other sleep aids. If you are curious about taking melatonin for children, you should talk to your doctor first to make sure that there are no problems with your child’s health that are caused by taking the medication.
Some people may think that taking melatonin may increase anxiety, because it is a natural tranquilizer. In fact, it may decrease anxiety to a certain extent. However, there are more serious side effects of taking the medication that you should be aware of. Some of the side effects include hallucinations, agitation, trouble sleeping, hyperactivity, depression, diarrhea, mood swings, nausea and fatigue. If you think your child may be experiencing these symptoms, talk to him or her’s doctor immediately. If your child is withdrawing from activities he or she is used to, melatonin may increase the need to have those activities performed again.
Some research suggests that melatonin may also play a role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD in children. This is one of the many side effects that have been reported with short-term use of the medication. One of the most common problems is difficulty falling asleep. When a child does not get enough sleep he or she will find it hard to stay asleep through the night, which can lead to insomnia during the day. While some children do fine when taking melatonin for children, there are others that do not have as good a night’s rest.
As far as insomnia goes, a small study done on children taking melatonin showed that it may increase the risk of getting involved in a car accident. The research did not look at whether melatonin helped to cause the accident or if it was a symptom of the drug. However, the results of the study seem to indicate that taking the drug may increase the risk of having an accident while driving. A second study done on adults who took the medication also showed a link between melatonin and accidents. Again, the results of this study were inconclusive and the researchers could not determine what caused the accident or why the patient had an accident.
There are many other benefits to melatonin, however. Before deciding if it would be a good choice for you or a doctor to prescribe, speak to your doctor about the possible benefits. You could also do a small research yourself about the subject. Melatonin may very well be a great alternative to the sleep aid products that are available.
The short-term sleep aid products that your children take every night may be helpful in the short-term but they do not offer any long-term benefits. If you need something stronger for your child, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist about melatonin. They can help you find a product that will be healthy for your child’s body. You can even talk to your doctor about using natural melatonin to help your child to fall asleep without the dangers.
