My children are jet-lagged. Can I give them melatonin to help them sleep?

Tackling Jet Lag and Sleepless Nights with Melatonin?

Dealing with time zone changes and jet lag can be incredibly challenging, especially for children. We all know that when kids don’t sleep well, parents don’t either! Around one in four children struggle with getting to sleep or staying asleep throughout the night. This issue can worsen exponentially when traveling internationally.

The Quest for a Solution: Enter Melatonin

Some desperate parents have resorted to giving their children lollies or gummies containing melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone, to help combat their sleep struggles. Others have turned to melatonin in an attempt to regulate their child’s body clock during time zone transitions.

But Can Melatonin Really Help Our Kids?

Is melatonin effective in combatting kids’ jet lag, and most importantly, is it safe? The fact is that while melatonin is produced in adults’ brains in response to darkness, inducing sleepiness, the use of melatonin among children is not as well-explored.

- Advertisement -

Are Adults and Children So Different?

Melatonin plays a crucial role in maintaining our sleep and wake cycles. Adults have long used melatonin supplements to combat jet lag. In fact, the use of melatonin has more than tripled in recent years to treat jet lag in people. However, this raises an eyebrow – why should melatonin work better for adults than children when it comes to sleep?

In Australia, melatonin is categorized as a pharmaceutical product, meaning that prescription and medical oversight are crucial for accessing it. The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises that melatonin can only be prescribed for children with specific neurological conditions, such as autism, ADHD, and Smith-Magenis syndrome. However, if your child falls outside these diagnoses, unfortunately, melatonin is not an acceptable solution.

Beware of Unregulated Online Melatonin Purchases

But did you know that some parents have actually accessed melatonin online from sources like the United States, where it’s classified as a dietary supplement? Without monitoring from regulatory agencies, there are vast concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of products sourced overseas. Melatonin is not the only supplement showing up with varying contents! In some cases, melatonin gummies have even contained dangerous serotonin, which has been linked to serious side effects.

BEHAVIOURAL SLEEP RECOMMENDATIONS

While melatonin still holds potential for adults and kids with specific neurological conditions, there is just not enough evidence to support its broader use among typically developing children, including those experiencing jet lag. So, what can we do for our kids? A clear and safe approach is to stick with evidence-based sleep recommendations, including establishing consistency in sleep and wake times, limiting night-time exposure to screens, and allowing bright light exposure in the morning to ensure a natural circadian rhythm.

Conclusion

As exhausting as it may be, understanding how to effectively manage your kids’ sleep when traveling internationally goes a long way in creating smooth and stress-free family trips! In light of the overwhelming majority of children already struggling with sleeplessness, it’s essential to prioritize tried, tested, and research-backed sleep interventions.

FAQs

Q: Can I give melatonin to my typically developing child for better sleep?

A: No, the effectiveness and safety of melatonin in such cases have not been conclusively proven. Sticking with behaviourally driven sleep recommendations is encouraged.

Q: Can I buy melatonin online?

A: Weary eyes should avoid unregulated websites and sources! Melatonin contains can be risky due to uneven quality and content.

Q: For what specific conditions can prescription melatonin be used in Australia?

A: Melatonin can be prescribed for Australian patients with autism, ADHD, and Smith-Magenis syndrome.