Can I give melatonin to my 2 year old daughter?

Question

My 2.5 year old daughter is having trouble sleeping. It takes her 2 hours to fall asleep every day and she still wakes up several times a night. I have tried everything, honestly everything. This has been going on since birth. We have both reached our limit in terms of sleep debt. I read that melatonin is not recommended for children under 3 years old, can I still try it? Hello, i've already applied all these measures, it's been going on for over two years. I have exhausted all possible resources

Naji-tom Samaha · Accepted Answer

Hello, ma'am, thank you for your question, I'm sorry to read about your troubles! I realize that the situation may seem extremely unpleasant. However, melatonin is not an option to consider at this time. Difficulties associated with putting a child to bed are extremely common but do not necessarily indicate any problem. Keep in mind that at each stage of your child's development, she is "relearning" to establish a new sleep hygiene (e.g., no more or fewer naps). Here are the non-pharmacological measures that need to be reviewed and/or instituted: I encourage you to review your child's sleep schedule, e.g. no screens 1 hour before bedtime, keep the bedroom only for sleeping and not other activities such as playing or reading. Review the schedule and/or length of naps, if any. Also review whether there are any potentially stimulating objects in his room such as a light source, electronic devices, or noises from the rest of the household. Encourage your child to enjoy the outdoors during the day. Sunlight can help establish a better circadian cycle. I invite you to consult these documents from Ste-Justine 6 to 24 months 2 to 12 years old i am available if you have any other questions! Tom Samaha, pharmacist Thank you for your feedback! In this case, I would recommend talking to your pediatrician to make sure there are no other problems.