There are many health-related habits that are debated upon regarding children’s well-being – but it is agreed upon across the board that a good night’s sleep is very important.
The Child Mind Institute has put together a series of resources on the importance of promoting good sleep habits for children and includes a discussion on how caregivers are increasingly turning to melatonin to help children who have trouble falling asleep.
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In the resources, the institute discusses how frustrated parents are using melatonin with more frequency to help children fall asleep. The sleep aid is available in drug stores without a prescription, is marketed as “natural,” and appears to offer a low-risk solution. It can be especially helpful for children with autism or ADHD and has few side effects.
However, experts caution that there is little data on long-term use and, as a supplement, it is not tightly regulated. Also, studies have shown that many of the pills and gummies contain substantially more (or less) melatonin than what it says on the bottle.
The Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss how sleep aids would not likely be helpful if sleep trouble is a symptom of anxiety or depression, which would need to be addressed separately. There is also an article about the importance of establishing consistent evening routines to help children learn to calm down before bedtime.
The Child Mind Institute’s resources include:
