It’s common for adults to take a supplement like melatonin to help when they’re having trouble falling asleep, or just need a really good night of rest. 

Melatonin has been shown in numerous studies to help people fall asleep, and in some cases, improve the quality of their sleep. Plus, it’s sold over the counter at many kinds of stores. 

But when it comes to kids, some questions come up. On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn gets some advice from Dr. Liz Harstad. 

Liz is a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. She has more than 15 years of experience caring for children with learning and attention differences and developmental conditions.

Is it OK to give your child melatonin? What about other supplements or medications? What does a sleep problem look like in a child, anyway? 

Listen or watch to get Liz’s answers. 

Related resources

• How ADHD can affect your sleep
• 4 ways lack of sleep affects how kids learn
• Child can’t wind down at night? Why some kids struggle to go to sleep   

Timestamps

(1:20 ) How can you tell if there is a sleep problem?

(3:42 ) What are the benefits of melatonin?

(6:38 ) What are the risks of taking it?

(8:37 ) Are there alternatives?

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Parenting Behavior page on Understood.

We love to hear from our listeners. Email us at parentingbehavior@understood.org.

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