Recent research shows nearly 1 in 5 school-age children and adolescents are now using melatonin on a regular basis to help them sleep.
The guidelines call for packaging that's harder for young kids to open, specifically for melatonin sold in flavored form. That includes gummies or chewables that might be appealing to kids, especially little ones who might think it's candy or even vitamins. Given the lack of research, Breuner says,"I don't want families to think they should be able to do this for months at a time.It's possible for kids to overdose on melatonin, which can lead to symptoms including severe headaches, dizziness, stomach pains, extreme drowsiness – even bedwetting. Pediatric overdoses of melatonin have skyrocketed in recent years, jumping more than 500% between 2012 and 2021.