Experts do not consider it necessary to give the hormone melatonin to children who exhibit restless behavior. The number of childhood poisonings due to this drug has increased 6 times in the last decade.
More and more parents are seeking to soothe their children with a nutritional supplement containing melatonin. Experts say there is no scientific evidence that these over-the-counter products can help children fall asleep, and many melatonin products contain no one knows what. The number of hospitalized children after using melatonin has increased 6 times over the past 10 years as its popularity has grown.
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Taking too much melatonin can lead to to vomiting, diarrhea and even convulsions, especially in young children with low tolerance. Our bodies naturally produce this hormone to induce sleep, and it helps regulate the circadian rhythms that control sleep and wake cycles. Melatonin supplements improve sleep quality when circadian rhythms are disrupted due to certain life circumstances such as night shift work and jet lag.
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However, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, these supplements are classified as food supplements, which means much less control. Their dosages and ingredients are heterogeneous, the vast majority of labels mislead buyers. Increasingly, these supplements come in chewable forms with sweet flavors like fruit, making them appealing to children. (READ MORE)