Should a child of age 2 years be taking Melatonin ?

Question

Daughter-n- law is giving my two year old this when she comes home from work, she works 2:oopm to 10:oopm. As a grandparent i don't think this is right. please Help.

Answer 1

only if it is low dose melatonin, 1mg. this is a chemical that the body produces naturally in the brain to regulate sleep wake patterns. the chemical is signaled to be released by the brain when the sun has gone down for the evening, prepareing your body for sleep.  what you body doesnt use in melatonin it throws it away, and your body only uses a certain amount everyday(.03mg) anything over that is flushed out. if anything your daughter in law is wasting money. make sure she doesnt switch to tylenol pm

Answer 2

There is absolutely no need for a 2 year old to be taking melatonin unless told to do so by the child's pediatrician.

I'd be extremely concerned about long term effects on the child's sleeping habits.

You tell your D-I-L to either get a nanny, find another job with normal working hours, or quit her job and be a responsible mother instead of using a sedative on her child.

Answer 3

No, absolutely NOT! There is a very specific warning on the bottle not to give Melatonin to anyone under the age of 16. It is specifically a hormone and giving a dose (an adult dose, none the less) to a child of that age could completely throw off their hormonal balance which could cause all sorts of problems. You're absolutely right to be concerned about that.

The ONLY exception to that is if a doctor has specifically prescribed it to the child for a medical condition.