Melatonin Supplements and Children: Pediatrician Advice

I'm Dr. Mona Amin, a pediatrician. Join me as I explore melatonin for kids—its safety, effectiveness, dosage, and tips for better sleep hygiene.

Any questions we didn't address in this video? Ideas for a future topic to cover? Let us know in the comments.

Jump to:
00:00 Intro
00:23 What is melatonin?
00:52 What are melatonin supplements?
04:04 When melatonin might be recommended
04:56 What about melatonin for time change?
05:15 What about melatonin for travel across time zones?
05:32 Side effects of melatonin
06:08 Safety recommendations

Resources::
Kuehn, B. M. (2022). Young Children Increasingly Ingest Melatonin, With Serious Outcomes. JAMA, 328 (2), 123. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.11156.

Keywords: Melatonin for children, Child sleep supplements, Melatonin safety for kids, Pediatric melatonin guidelines, Melatonin dosage for children, Melatonin side effects in kids, Sleep problems in children, Natural sleep aids for kids, Melatonin effectiveness for sleep, Pediatric sleep hygiene tips

****The information in this video is intended to serve as educational information and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If a parent or guardian is concerned about their child, it is their responsibility to seek medical attention with the child’s healthcare provider.****

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[Bety-ij]

If you’re concerned about melatonin supplements, I highly recommend The Science of Lasting Health. Dr. Samuel Royce goes into the real science — including why relying on synthetic melatonin might backfire, and what to do instead.

[celusma]

This was such a timely and informative video. I love that you analyzed the evidence from primary literature and looked at use in neurodivergent children. We had to use for my son who is autistic when he was 2 years old. It worked at first, but then we needed a prescription medication. The importance of sleep hygiene is paramount as well. We stuck to a routine and were able to wean him off the medication and now at 3 he is able to sleep without the assistance of medication.

[roccostoutes]

just started today. my 4 year old is sleeping by 9 pm hes struggled to get to bed previously by 11. a bit worried it worked so well. thanks for the information.

[jessicaquintao]

Hi, can I use for a baby 2y, just to an airplane travel?

[terealvarez]

For me i require melatonin it has something to do with my adhd but i manage to not fall asleep for 2 days and still have so much energy so i need melatonin or i could go weeks without sleeping

[sepsep_vanish]

My 2.5 years old wake up 3 am every night should I try it

[isratsriti]

*"I recently watched [Baby Giggles]'s videos and was really impressed.(A Doctor's Guide to Perfect Baby Skin Care in