Poll says 20% of parents give their kids melatonin to help sleep

LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Some parents may battle their kids every night when it is time to go to bed and a new poll finds out the measures that parents take to get their kids to go to sleep.

Young children need quality sleep to support growth and development but getting kids to sleep can be difficult. A new poll from University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital finds that nearly one in five parents of children between the ages of one and six years old sometimes or often give their child melatonin to help with sleep.

The poll's co-director says while many melatonin products are advertised as for kids, parents should be cautious before giving them to their children. 

"Parents should remember that melatonin is not regulated by the FDA. So, it hasn't undergone safety and effectiveness testing. And we don't know the long impact of repeated melatonin use in kids. If parents are thinking about using melatonin, it's a good idea to talk with the child's pediatrician, first to rule out any other causes of sleep problems. And then also to discuss the pros and cons of using that type of product," says Sarah Clark, co-director of the National Poll on Children's Health.

One-quarter of parents described getting their child to bed as difficult and the same amount says their young child cannot get to sleep because of being worried or anxious. However, many parents reported staying in the room until their child falls asleep, which Clark advises against. 

"This can be counterproductive because it prevents the child from learning to fall asleep on their own. So a strategy that does work is having that bedtime routine, setting the environment for the child, a quiet dark room, and then letting the child know it's time to leave, if they protest, an occasional check-in every minute or two can help the child still feel secure, but help to learn to get to sleep on their own," adds Clark.  

The poll also found that 90% of parents have a bedtime routine for their child, which most often included brushing teeth, reading stories, bathing, and drinking water.