https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 04 May 2026 14:55:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids/page/2#post-2795122 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 17:35:34 +0000 pinkarmadillo 2795122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read the other comments -- We were in a similar situation and my DD was extremely overtired and so were we. It all started around her second birthday. She was a great sleeper and we did sleep training early on with her. After traveling and then getting into some bad habits of laying down with her, sickness, molars and bad dreams we battled the bad sleep for a few months before finally going to our ped about it. They suggested no benadryl since that isn't actually sound, restful sleep. They did suggest using a low dose of melatonin temporarily. We were reluctant and I did the research and came up with the same hesitation as you did but I was desperate. I gave it to her on the first night and she slept so much better. Easy to go down versus the battle we were dealing with previously and only woke once at 3:30 but was easy to go back down. Previously she would be so upset that she would cry and cry and stay awake for sometimes hours. After about two weeks we got back into our bedtime routine and we were able to stop the melatonin completely. She's now back to going to sleep on her on in her big girl bed and sleeping through the night mostly. It did work for us and we were able to only use it for a short amount of time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids/page/2#post-2795118 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 17:11:41 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2795118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: on school nights (when she's had a nap) she usually falls asleep around 9:30. On weekends (no nap) between 8 and 8:30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids/page/2#post-2795049 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 11:17:40 +0000 meredithNYC 2795049@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: I sometimes use it to "reset" her sleep patterns when things get a little off due to traveling, anxiety about starting school, the excitement of the grandparents visiting, etc. Every child is different, of course, but she tends to fall asleep within 15-30 minutes of taking it and sleeps through to her regular time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids/page/2#post-2795047 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 11:11:09 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2795047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meredithNYC: how do you decide when to give it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids/page/2#post-2795046 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 11:10:24 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2795046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: completely agree as well. I keep trying to fix everything else and it doesn’t seem to be working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2795041 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 10:55:03 +0000 Modern Daisy 2795041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use both melatonin and Benadryl occasionally to help our 4 yo son fall asleep (under doctor advice). There are positives and negatives to both. Melatonin like you said is unregulated and our doctor pointed out that there aren't any studies for long term effects. But it does seem to at least work quickly and helps our son stay asleep, although he tends to have more night terrors on it for some reason. Benadryl also works quickly and there are less nightmares but he is really groggy the next day so I don't think he gets much restful sleep from it. But our doctor prefers Benadryl overall since it's been studied heavily and proven to be totally safe and non addictive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2795018 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 09:34:03 +0000 meredithNYC 2795018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I occasionally give melatonin to my 5 year old and it really does help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2795003 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 08:28:33 +0000 looch 2795003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: Yes, sleep is sooo difficult for me to troubleshoot, primarily because I can't buy a product to fix it. I also feel that once I stopped trying to fix sleeping and looked at other areas in his life, I was able to come up with better solutions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794986 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 07:14:06 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2794986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: That doesn't seem like being overtired is the cause. 7:30 is a very reasonable but also late wakeup time for a kid who doesn't need much sleep. C sleeps 7:30-5 with a 1 hour nap most days, which is about 10.5 hours total. It sounds like she is still getting about 10 hours of sleep in a day, right? So my best guess is that the nap is the root cause. Even a short nap can prevent kids from being able to fall asleep at night. </p> <p>I think your options are either 1. Use melatonin to help shift her sleep time earlier so shes sleeping from 9-6 plus the nap (about 10 hours), then wean off once her new sleep schexule is established. Or 2. talk to the school about not letting her nap. Maybe your doctor could write a note about how naps as adversely affecting her health? Or 3, just keep doing what you are doing and wait it out until she gets to the next class where they no longer nap (kindergarten classes where I live dont have naptime, so next year should eliminate that problem). </p> <p>Sorry you are dealing with this. Sleep issues make me feel so helpless because it is so hard to control. 😵 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794985 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 07:00:05 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: thank you for all this. You’re absolutely right that not knowing the root cause is my concern. Her behavior is perfectly fine during the day, which is in large part why we’ve just historically written this all off to her biology and just needing less sleep. There’s nothing we can do about naptime at school, but the reason for the most recent concern on this is that it seems that even when she doesn’t nap (we never do on weekends, weekdays are a mixed bag with school but we had 10 days of vacation to test some things), it seems like she’s still having a harder time settling than before. A month ago on a weekend she would be up at 7:30 and asleep by 9 without any issue. Now she can be up at 7:30 and not fall asleep until way after 10, and be completely wound up before finally sleeping. Last night she fell asleep at 11:3 after a 7:15 wake up and a 30 minute nap at school. She was perfectly fine all day- cheerful, full of usual energy, notning out of the ordinary, she’s learning and well on par and even ahead of her classmates, so yeah, I’m definitely hesitating because I don’t feel like I have a good cause to “fix.” Reading all these comments is making me feel a little more comfortable maybe trying melatonin for a bit but I definitely wish I had a better grasp on what the heck is happening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794984 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 06:51:33 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: yup, both classrooms are full so they can’t add a kid due to teacher/kid ratios. Plus I imagine it would start a slope of other parents asking for the same accommodations. Definitely not a fight worth fighting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794945 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 17:47:49 +0000 SweetiePie 2794945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: Agree with everything you said. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794944 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 17:42:22 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2794944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So my child has pretty significant side effects from not getting enough sleep, and we have been working with a multitude of professionals who all landed on medicating for sleep temporarily to get his nervous system regulated. It has completely changed our life. So while I am certain that just jumping to medication for convenience is not necessary, for some children their well being depends on it.</p> <p>We are currently using Hydroxyzine which is a stronger antihistamine under the supervision of our doctor. We have also used benadryl and melatonin. There is a subset of children who have a hyperactive reaction to antihistimines so it sounds like she is one of them, and I would stay away from them. From what I have heard, if thats the case it will not help the cause. </p> <p>I think the problem you are faced with is that you don't really know the root cause of what is going on that is causing her to stay awake so late. My instinct would be that the reason she is so wound up is that she is overtired. For some kids, the more overtired they are the less they sleep. This is what happens with my little guy. We temporarily use the meds to get him back to normal, then stop once he's okay. </p> <p>How is her behavior during the day? Does she act tired? Short temper? Easily overwhelmed? If not, then overtired might not be the problem. It could just be that she needs to drop the nap. Maybe you could ask about providing quiet activities for her to do during naptime so that she stays awake. </p> <p>I don't think you need to worry about trying melatonin for a short time to see if it works to regulate her sleep a bit. Its not a permanent fix, but I definitely dont think it is harmful in any way. I personally think sleep deprivation is a much bigger concern, as sleep is so critical for emotional regulation and brain development. </p> <p>Feel free to wall me if you want! I have done an absurd amount of reading about this and talking to doctors...I may be able to answer questions or share our experience in more detail. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794925 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 16:25:05 +0000 MamaCate 2794925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: then it is probably not worth it to rock the boat, especially if you are not sure how much it would help. My DD napped at school for much longer than she did at home I think for those environmental type reasons. But after about 4 she stopped napping and stopped resting quietly. There were about 4-5 other kids in the same boat so they were able to shift to the “non nappers” plan. This was in the 3/4s room. Once she moved to pre-K they had napping and not napping groups and that seemed to work out.</p> <p>Why won’t they move her over for the nap period? Ratios? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794924 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 16:16:59 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: I think she really naps because the rest of the room is. She's the oldest kid in her room right now, and the other pre-K room still has the nap time allocated but most kids don't nap. I've asked if they can take her in there but they won't, and since everyone else is quiet and they're setting the mood for nap, it's easy enough to fall asleep most times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794893 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:12:06 +0000 MamaCate 2794893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: well that seems reasonable from the school’s perspective, and probably not worth pursuing if the no-nap days are not a lot better. I guess it is just surprising to me to hear the combo of low sleep needs and still napping. I wonder if other comments about overtired might resonate—was thanksgiving a particular change in schedule/activity level that you can pinpoint?</p> <p>Otherwise I just wanted to send hugs and say that you must be exhausted too! ❤️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794886 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:47:50 +0000 kiddosc 2794886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I completely agree with @ShootingStar: Since the over activeness starts at 8, it seems that that would be her more appropriate bedtime. I think using the melatonin for a couple weeks and adjusting the start of bedtime routine to coincide with an 8-8:30 bedtime would be a worthy experiment. </p> <p>I don't agree with parents that use melatonin as a long term sleep solution, but see it's usefulness in a short term/reset type application. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794884 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:38:12 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: What time does she fall asleep without melatonin vs with it? This is one of my concerns with using it. I don't mind earlier mornings, but I also don't want to make them super early. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794882 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:37:03 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2794882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have occasionally used melatonin for my daughter (4 yr), but it messes with her sleep cycle and without exception, she is up by 5am every time we use it. She normally sleeps until at least 7, so I usually feel like it's not worth it because she doesn't get more sleep overall and I definitely get less. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794879 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:34:02 +0000 ShootingStar 2794879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: I completely understand your hesitation with the melatonin. But for me there's a big difference between using something for a week or two and using it continuously for months or years. I would not feel comfortable with a doctor that said it would be a permanent solution for a 4 year old.</p> <p>I also think the example you gave of yesterday where she was up early, didn't nap and then had a hard time falling asleep is classic over-tiredness. I don't think kids are as able as adults to sleep later when they're tired. I know once my 4 year old wakes up he has serious FOMO and never goes back to sleep even if he's still tired. </p> <p>And as for her biological time to go to sleep - I think you figure that out when the hyperactivity stops at night. I'm not suggesting you push and push to see how early you can go and drug her into compliance, but I think you should reduce it by 15 minutes every day or 2 until you get to 8 or 8:30. And the melatonin will help her feel sleepy and maybe not fight bedtime so much.</p> <p>I can just tell with my son that when he's bouncing off the walls it needs to be an early bedtime. By keeping him up later it only exacerbates the problem. And I think there's a good chance that's what happening with your daughter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794870 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:47:39 +0000 gingerbebe 2794870@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: Its weird. He never liked blankets and runs hot too, so we always had him in a sleep bag with lots of stuffed animals in his bed, but at some point he got a toddler sized blanket he was really excited about (this fleece hockey one), and then he got a second hockey blanket with our favorite team on it, so he insisted on having them both. Then we got him a really super soft one because he loves my Barefoot Dreams blanket. Then he became obsessed with the big fluffy down comforter we gave him when we had to wash the soft blanket. But when the first blanket was clean, he insisted on having them BOTH because he liked how the comforter was puffy?<br /> Then at Christmas he got a velour Paw Patrol blanket, so THAT needs to come into the bed too....it became a snowball! We definitely noticed he seemed to really enjoy burying himself in his covers once he got the down comforter (actually I think its a down alternative comforter) - I think he really liked the puffy marshmallow effect. The other blankets were comfort objects, but he needed them ALLLL layered on top of him just so, and I know that they must feel really heavy to him. Once he's buried he's like BYE NIGHT NIGHT. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794861 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:16:03 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I hear that. I guess I would expect it to happen sooner if that was the issue? They move around their classroom all the time, from what I've seen of their schedule and activities. They're outside 2-3X a day, they have activity centers, a lot of free play, etc. I am actually expecting this to get worse once she goes into kindergarten next year, but I was writing it off to a sleep issue because she comes home perfectly calm and can play quietly on her own while we make dinner, and sit for dinner and all that, and we don't expect or force her to sit - if she wants to do laps around the house, we have no issue with that, she really chooses her own adventure until dinner time. It's really around 8-8:30 that some kind of switch flips and she goes into this hyperactivity mode. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794858 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:07:56 +0000 looch 2794858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: yes, I understand. This is quite common in kids, they hold it together all day via compensatory behaviors, and then at night when they get home, it falls apart because they can't do it any longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794855 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:05:25 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I think they have an appropriate setup at school - I don't really mean that she's sitting constantly and thus might be compensating in the evening. I meant that she doesn't have physical movement/body control issues outside of the nighttime environment. She actually doesn't even get particularly hyper until after 8 PM, almost like clockwork, when we start to wind down for bedtime. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794854 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:04:12 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: This is so interesting - you literally described our evening process! No TV, warm bath/shower, lots of physical contact, and the only toys in her room are things that she can really concentrate on - Magnatiles, jigsaw puzzles, Legos and some soft toys and books. </p> <p>I haven't thought about heavy blankets or bedding, will have to check that out. She runs pretty warm, so she actually doesn't like to be covered at all. I associate blankets with comfort, so it makes me twitchy sometimes that she kicks them off LOL</p> <p>My biggest concern about melatonin TBH is that it's a hormone and she's a little kid and all this talk about how hormones in food and whatnot can affect growth and early periods and puberty and all that, it just gives me pause. I'm not in the slightest bit particular about food we eat and meds when needed, but something about this one just gives me pause. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794853 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:03:58 +0000 looch 2794853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: If she's sitting still at school, it's likely that she's developed tricks to be able to do it. And then, when she comes home, she's not able to do it any longer and you get the constant motion. It might be that she needs a more adaptive environment during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794850 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:00:46 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Gotcha. I hadn't thought of that because this is isolated to nighttime, so I always thought about it as a sleep issue. She has no problem sitting still in school, and behaves appropriately otherwise, but it's an interesting idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794849 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 12:59:19 +0000 gingerbebe 2794849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our kids take the nighttime Zarbees syrup with melatonin in it when they are sick. 19 month old is usually drowsy and out in about 15 minutes. Our eldest, who is 39 months (but apparently the size of a 5 year old) does seem to settle better when he has it, but its not like he's conked out on Benadryl. Usually, we need about an hour to wind him down for bed on a normal night and days he has the syrup, I'd say its more like 30-45 minutes.</p> <p>What we do to settle our eldest is:</p> <p>- Warm bath or shower to start the bedtime routine.<br /> - No TV in the evenings.<br /> - Lots of physical touch - sitting on laps for books, wrestling, hugs, snuggles, etc.<br /> - We try to talk in calm low tones in the evenings.<br /> - About 30 minutes before bedtime, DH takes DS1 into his room and shuts the door and they do mentally stimulating activities. Lately, they have been doing a memory card game (like where you match pairs of cards) of Bible characters. They have also been doing the Melissa and Doug magnetic fishing game where you gotta carefully pick up the fish on the pole via magnets. It requires fine motor skills, patience, and concentration. It seems like getting his brain tired seems to help him wind down for sleep. We can usually tell he's getting mentally exhausted when he asks us to read a book to him, and then we do one book and then lay him down for bed.<br /> -Have you tried heavy bedding? Maybe not a weighted blanket per se (although you can try that) but we found when we moved DS1 to heavier bedding, he slept better and more soundly. At this point even though I know he gets hot, he insists on like 4 different blankets in his bed and wants them all layered on top of him when he's tucked it. I think it helps calm him the way weighted blankets do for sensory processing disordered children. </p> <p>FWIW, DH and I also religiously take melatonin for our sleep and we have for years. We usually find that we are drowsy in about 15 minutes, sleep soundly, do not feel groggy in the morning, and we have had no ill effects whatsoever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794848 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 12:56:53 +0000 looch 2794848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: An occupational therapist could give you some advice on physical activities that could help your daughter deal with the constant motion that she feels.</p> <p>I look at it like this, we as adults have the tools available to us to fine tune our environment. When the music is too loud, you know to turn it down, maybe turn it off. Physical movement in the body can be tweaked the same way, you just need to learn how to deal with it.</p> <p>You wrote above that you have to force her to relax, using your bodies, the OT can teach her to what to do with her own. Does that make sense? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-melatoninsleep-aids-for-kids#post-2794844 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 12:52:11 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2794844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: No. How would that relate to this? </p>