Would you give melatonin every night in this situation

amother

Lily ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:18 pm

amother Bronze wrote:

You were just hospitalized. Yourfamily is in crisis right now. Take any short cut available to you right now, including melatonin and worry about weaning him off when you're in a better place.

This. And there's no evidence that it's habit forming or that it causes your body to make less. He probably needs better sleep habits and sleep hygiene, but you can work on it some other time when things are more stable.

amother

Hunter ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:19 pm

justforfun87 wrote:

I wouldn't give at that age as 7pm is maybe too early for some 2 year old. Mine sometimes isn't closer until 9pm. I wouldn't start a dependency to the meds so young.

I completely agree in general but since OP is in crisis it’s ok temporarily. I’m surprised that other mothers are ok giving toddlers melatonin every night.

amother

Papaya

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:21 pm

All those saying to try putting him to bed later, did you not see that OP wrote she was in the psych ward a few weeks ago for suicidal ideation?? What is wrong with you people.
OP you need to do whatever you need to do now to survive this time period.
I do agree that the nap in playgroup is probably ruining the nighttime routine for him and that's a pity. But if the morah refuses to stop, then you do what you need to right now. Try with the smallest dose possible.

amother

↑ Hunter

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:34 pm

amother Lily wrote:

Of course it does. Hormones work on a negative feedback loop so if the body keeps being given melatonin it will stop producing it the same way.

fig

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:45 pm

Tylenol is more unhealthy than melatonin.
If you read the answers, there is a list of possible side effects. I have not found any side effects for melatonin. There are also many harmful side effects for not getting enough sleep

amother

↑ Lily ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:52 pm

amother Hunter wrote:

Of course it does. Hormones work on a negative feedback loop so if the body keeps being given melatonin it will stop producing it the same way.

Not all hormones work this way

https://www.researchgate.net/p.....tonin

amother

NeonBlue ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:53 pm

Can you ask his pediatrician what they recommend? My toddler is autistic and doesn’t sleep well, and he’s on medication that helps him sleep. There’s also a probiotic that helps with sleep and it helped even more than the medication, he just hated the taste so much we stopped giving it.

This is the probiotic if you want to try it - you’ll need to mix it with something as it has a very strong not very good taste. (We mixed with grape juice and put in a medicine dropper and kind of forced him to take it. And then eventually stopped.)

https://www.pureformulas.com/p.....D_BwE

amother

↑ NeonBlue

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 7:55 pm

I want to add, regarding melatonin - my kids went through a stage where they couldn’t fall asleep. Maybe around age 8. And I had always heard such terrible things about melatonin that it didn’t dawn on me to give it. We tried all the other tips and tricks and nothing helped. The dr told us to try melatonin and my only regret was that I hadn’t tried it earlier. None of them needed it for that long at all. And since then we have it in our house to take as needed.

amother

Snapdragon

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 8:05 pm

Give him melatonin. You're taking care of him and his sleep needs and you're taking care of his mother which is equally important. You don't have to feel guilty.

He's growing and changing. You'll try taking him off of it when you feel the need. It doesn't usually create a dependency. You'll deal with it when you're in a better place.

Melatonin is safe. Many many kids are on it and do just fine and go off of it just fine. If it helps him sleep and helps your family function better than it's a good thing. You don't have to feel guilty.

Maybe it's not ideal. Life's not always ideal. We can only do the best we can with the tools we have. Right now Melatonin is one of the tools you have. It's a safe tool and you don't have to feel guilty for using it.

amother

Burntblack

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 8:08 pm

Does he still sleep in a crib? Try this

L RUNNZER Baby Crib Tent, Pop Up Crib Canopy to Keep Baby from Climbing Out, Safety Crib Net Mosquitoes Net with See-Through Mesh, Fits Most Standard Cribs https://a.co/d/6SGu600

seeker ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 8:08 pm

amother Daphne wrote:

Melatonin is not a sleeping pill. It is a hormone. Good sleep hygiene can include exposure to light and a good bedtime routine but melatonin isn’t going to solve the problem and may create others.

I would suggest that you get yourself a good support system. Whether he is sleeping or not it sounds like you need that. Refuah shlemah.

It's a hormone that is made naturally in the body. If anything that feels more palatable to me than a sleeping pill which introduces something new and foreign to the body. I have found that it did handily solve the problem for a child of mine whom I suspect just didn't naturally have enough because nothing else worked and melatonin worked like a charm. Teeny tiny amount. And yes she's still dependent on it years later. The way I am dependent on water, protein, and sleep.

Anyway I do agree that OP should tap into any support system that's available. If there's anyone who can be recruited to help put this baby to bed, take it!

Frankly without any other mental health issues, a child who doesn't sleep can make a person lose it. It's a very very very hard challenge. If you know you know.

the world's best mom

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 9:44 pm

OP, how do you feel about giving melatonin if there is no other reason to give it other than you want your kid to go to sleep earlier?

If you have reservations, then you should not give it unless there is really no other choice. You are dealing with your own mental health crisis, and I feel for you. You definitely need a support system. You should not work yourself to the point where you might collapse. But if there is any way you can ease things up by relying on help from others, then giving your child any meds that you think are not great for him is not the best option.

To me, needing a bedtime later than 6:45 does not sound like sleep problems. Especially if he is napping, some kids just need a later bedtime. If there's any way you can stop him from napping that would probably be the best. Otherwise, are there any people who can give you a break in the evening or deal with him at night until he is ready to go to sleep?

amother

Whitesmoke ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 10:05 pm

Op I'm sorry about your personal and shalom bayis issues, yes you need to make your life as easy as possible but I wouldn't do that by drugging a child. Your child sounds like a healthy child who is not ready for bed at 6 45. Totally understandable (and those that do go to sleep at that time usually have moms complaining they are up very early) your child needs action so it will tire out. Attention and stories. If you aren't up to the task hire help. Or find someone to watch child with proper care until bedtime and they can drop off or you pick up child all ready for bed fed bathed .
I would not give my child melatonin to go to sleep because I want them to go to sleep.its not as simple as so many allow themselves to believe

amother

↑ Brickred ↓

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 10:12 pm

healthymom1 wrote:

I would never give my child melatonin’s

Whats your reasoning behind this? Sleep deprivation causes real and obvious harm both immediately visible and on child development. What research or even anecdotal evidence do you have that shows melatonin supplements are harmful?

amother

Raspberry

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 10:12 pm

amother OP wrote:

The morah said he’s falling apart without a nap, I feel bad to do that too!

He’s in a bad cycle of falling asleep too late and then being too tired to function without a nap, which keeps him up late. Melatonin could break the cycle. Don’t be scared to try it and see how it goes.

amother

Silver

Sat, Sep 28 2024, 10:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

My 2 and a half year old doesn’t sleep enough. He takes a short nap at his morah sometimes as short as 15 minutes. At night I start the bedtime process around 6:45 and he just doesn’t sleep. He gets out of bed plays around I put him back into bed over and over for hours. My mental health is not good it’s never been good, I was in the phych ward a few weeks ago for suicidality. my shalom Bayis is equally as bad. I feel having him sleep like a normal kid at 7 would help so much but I feel so bad to give melatonin every night. Also how do you get him off it eventually?

How do you know it's as short as 15 minutes?
I feel like I don't believe the morah who told you that. Your kid sleeps a full nap at morah.
Try at home a 15 minute nap and see if it disturbs him from falling asleep at a normal time. Btw, my toddlers don't fall asleep at 7. They go to sleep about 8.