Melatoin Toddler ASD

[twofourone]

Hi,

got the ok to give .5 mg melatoin for my 26 month old with autism to help with his sleep issues after trying adjust most possible other things.

I picked up some liquid melatonin and just can"t wrap my brain around adjusting the dosage. Anyone out there with some common sense that can help me...appartently I have had to many sleepless nights.

It is 1mg Liquid

regular dosage instructions say 4 droppers (4ml) 20 min before bed. (adult)

Under the facts section says

Amounts per serving

melatonin 1mg

So does that mean there is 1mg per 4 droppers or 1mg per dropper???

I am confused if 1 dropper would be .25 mg or 1 mg????

From what I am reading I think it would be .25 but online chat with walgreens said 1mg per dropper

Figured I would try here as some of the ASD moms use melatoin and might have some help for me.

[isisreturning]

We have used the "Source Naturals" brand of liquid melatonin. The dropper has a 1mL mark about halfway up. 1mL = 1 mg of this particular brand. So when I want to give her .5mL I fill it halfway up to the 1mL mark (about 1/4 the length of the whole dropper, which is about 3.5" long).

My guess is that your bottle is also a 1mg/1mL solution, especially since that's what walgreens also said.

So 1 dropper = 1mL = 1mg. Half a dropper would give you .5 mL = .5mg.  4 droppers would be an adult dose of 4 mg.

**But! I am not a medical practitioner. I can only say what has been true of our liquid melatonin and I'm only speculating about yours.**

[twofourone]

Thank you!!!

I just needed some reassurance :)

The walgreens guy was not very confident or convincing. I gave him 1/2 tonight and he fell alseep so fast that I think I freaked myself out since it generally takes hours and then he get up after all that worked. the fact that it worked made me worried that I over did it!! LOL So i re read the label and just couldn"t wrap my brain around it to let myself relax.

Somtimes it helps to talk to real folks who have been in the trenches :)

Your disclaimer made me chuckle :) thanks for your help!!

[Essie]

Well, my son is 8 yo and weighs maybe 53-55 lbs. I give him 1-1.5 mg and that's sublingual. BTW, he hates the taste of the liquid so if you have that problem one that my son likes is orange flavored source naturals sublingual. Also Nature's Way makes a passion fruit one but it's 2.5 mg. I have always cut them in half whether I get the 1 mg or 2.5 mg. 

You probably only need to give about .25 to .5 mg dep. on the weight of your son. If he fell asleep quickly that's enough or could be less.

Now I'm starting to freak out b/c it seems that our son rarely falls asleep quickly UNLESS he has MT. He just cannot turn his brain off. Ideally we'd like him asleep bet. 8-8:30. If he does not have any MT he can stay up until 10:30 b/c he can't fall asleep. It's bad for all of us!

[sbgrace]

Yay! Melatonin has been wonderful here too!
My son does .25 mg. and has for years (almost 3.5 years). We've occasionally forgot (did last week) and, well, it reminds me of life "before melatonin"! I'm glad it's working for your son!

[Essie]

Am I the only one who gets paranoid about using melatonin with kids? I get reassurance from articles and peds but I've also read that the body can stop making it if it's taken for too long of a time. 

Anyone?

Has anyone here tried any alternatives? we have and none of them work!

[beachcomber]

We have tried everything. At least timed-release melatonin helps us get my 5 yo DD to sleep in less than 45 minutes. She has a sleep disorder where she comes fully awake many times a night. Upon waking she has to be put back to sleep - can't self-soothe back to sleep. We've tried all kinds of sleep training methods. Nothing has worked. We give her melatonin and it's helped a huge amount with getting her to sleep and back to sleep.

[Linda on the move]

Over the years we've tried many, many things with our now 14 year old ASD dd. For awhile, melatonin was the only thing was worked. She's not, however taking it now. She's at a point where she's really happy with her life and feeling really successful, and has spent time in CBH (and is old enough to apply what she's learned there). She listens to music while she falls asleep.

But even a year ago, melatonin helped her get *some* sleep at a time wihen lack as sleep was compounding her anxiety. She was pretty much disfuntional as a person because she was so freaked out all the time. Lack of sleep was feeding into that cycle.

Just because our kids need something NOW it doesn't mean that they will always need it.

She may need it again later.

[blessedwithboys]

Our sleep specialist ARNP says taking it artificially doesn't cause the brain to stop production and she pointed out that if ds's brain made enough, he would be falling asleep naturally anyway.  :)

[micah_mae_]

Originally Posted by Essie 

Well, my son is 8 yo and weighs maybe 53-55 lbs. I give him 1-1.5 mg and that's sublingual. BTW, he hates the taste of the liquid so if you have that problem one that my son likes is orange flavored source naturals sublingual. Also Nature's Way makes a passion fruit one but it's 2.5 mg. I have always cut them in half whether I get the 1 mg or 2.5 mg. 

You probably only need to give about .25 to .5 mg dep. on the weight of your son. If he fell asleep quickly that's enough or could be less.

Now I'm starting to freak out b/c it seems that our son rarely falls asleep quickly UNLESS he has MT. He just cannot turn his brain off. Ideally we'd like him asleep bet. 8-8:30. If he does not have any MT he can stay up until 10:30 b/c he can't fall asleep. It's bad for all of us!

How does the liquid differ from a crushed tablet?

[isisreturning]

Sigh. I'm glad melatonin is working well for you all, and I'm jealous. Melatonin only works sometimes for DD. Other times, it makes her vomit. And still other times, it causes her to fall asleep quickly, but then she wakes up in the middle of the night, wide awake and ready to party. We can never predict when it's going to be magical or monstrous, so we only use it when we're feeling especially desperate about needing to sleep. (Without melatonin, she goes to sleep around 11 pm or midnight and sleeps just fine through the night.)

Anyway, I'm not just complaining... I'm also wondering if you've had similar issues with melatonin, and if you figured out a good solution. Thanks!

[Essie]

I don't think it does, it's just that my DS didn't like the taste of the liquid so I was offering my experience :)
 

Originally Posted by micah_mae_ 

Originally Posted by Essie 

Well, my son is 8 yo and weighs maybe 53-55 lbs. I give him 1-1.5 mg and that's sublingual. BTW, he hates the taste of the liquid so if you have that problem one that my son likes is orange flavored source naturals sublingual. Also Nature's Way makes a passion fruit one but it's 2.5 mg. I have always cut them in half whether I get the 1 mg or 2.5 mg. 

You probably only need to give about .25 to .5 mg dep. on the weight of your son. If he fell asleep quickly that's enough or could be less.

Now I'm starting to freak out b/c it seems that our son rarely falls asleep quickly UNLESS he has MT. He just cannot turn his brain off. Ideally we'd like him asleep bet. 8-8:30. If he does not have any MT he can stay up until 10:30 b/c he can't fall asleep. It's bad for all of us!

How does the liquid differ from a crushed tablet?

[Essie]

Wow, really? this is such a relief! so it's really true that kids with asd don't make enough? why is that anyway????
 

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys 

Our sleep specialist ARNP says taking it artificially doesn't cause the brain to stop production and she pointed out that if ds's brain made enough, he would be falling asleep naturally anyway.  :)