Melatonin—a go-to sleep aid for kids and adults alike in many households in America—continues to create media buzz, with conflicting messages that leave people uncertain about its safety.
Some headlines point to melatonin's supposed immunity-boosting power, while others point to unestablished links between melatonin and heart failure.
I'm a pediatrician and sleep medicine doctor specializing in children, adolescents and adults.
In my experience, many families go through difficulties with sleep for several months and even years before they seek out specialty care, and often they come across information online that isn't tailored to the right age group or sleep condition. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved any insomnia medications for children, so pediatricians don't have many options.
Melatonin is the most widely studied sleep aid in children. Still, I find that many parents feel uncertain about using melatonin, and some even experience guilt if they do, despite some clear benefits with appropriate use.
