NEW ORLEANS — Calls to the Poison Control Center about melatonin accidental overdoses in children have gone up more than 500 percent in the U.S.
Many involved symptoms like drowsiness and vomiting, but five needed a ventilator in the ICU, and two died.
It's because the supplements can look like candy. But is there ever a time when parents should give children melatonin?
A few years ago, the New Orleans Mom website said there were increasing questions about the safety of giving children melatonin before bedtime.
“I’m hearing more and more moms that are turning to melatonin occasionally for their children,” mother Angelina Vicknair, with New Orleans Mom, told us in 2020.
Melatonin is a hormone the body makes when it gets dark to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, but you can buy flavored gummy supplements over the counter without safety caps.
“Ingestions has gone up dramatically in the last 10 years and this is avoidable, unnecessary, and potentially harmful to the child,” explained pediatrician Dr. Michael Wasserman with Ochsner Hospital for Children.
“These things are not regulated by the FDA. So, what we also have found is that melatonin may say that it's 2mg in each gummy, but we've done some tests to show that there may be 10mg in that gummy,” said pediatrician Dr. Corey Hébert, WWL-TV Medical Correspondent.
Pediatricians say there is an even bigger issue.
“At least in children, most sleep problems are not necessarily related to an insufficiency of melatonin in the child's body,” said Dr. Wasserman.
“The bad part about this is though people are using a medication/hormone/drug, but they're not doing the things they need to do to get them to be able to go to sleep,” said Dr. Hébert.
The doctors say to teach children good bedtime preparations:
- Routine times for dinner, baths, and quiet time before bed
- Play outside early
- No screen time, sugary candy, or caffeine in soft drinks or chocolate, a few hours before bed
“And if you do that, then the child's entire wellbeing is going to be enhanced because of the consistency of lifestyle. And that's really what's the vast, vast majority of sleep problems that I see as a general pediatrician,” said Dr. Wasserman.
Some studies show melatonin could cause earlier puberty, and possibly interfere with the body's natural ability to make melatonin, but there are times it may help.
“We do recommend it for children that have ADHD, children that have autism. We've had some studies to show that it does aid in them being able to fall off to sleep,” noted Dr. Hébert.
So, the bottom line is before giving your children melatonin, check with your pediatrician.
The doctors say if your child has an overdose, call Poison Control with the amount your child ingested and then go to the emergency room. That number is 800-222-1222.
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