2012年9月1日 星期六

Melatonin and Children


Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland known for regulating sleep wake cycles in the body. Its production increases with darkness at night and decreases by day. Melatonin helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle and its production is determined by light and darkness. In light melatonin production is reduced, and it is increased in darkness to promote sleep. By this action melatonin regulates sleep-wake pattern and induces sleep at night.

  Does your child struggle to sleep late at night?

Melatonin prescription appears to be beneficial to children with sleep disturbances.

Sleep disorders are common in childhood. It causes more problems in children with illness like autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, learning difficulties.

The problem is probably linked to the child's inability to attune their sleep pattern to the outside world's sleep-wake cycle. A number of research recommends the use of melatonin in small amounts on children with sleep disturbances over variable duration from 2months to 4years.

The results have suggested its effectiveness, usefulness and safety, but no studies have been published where the drug has been used on larger numbers of children over long duration. These studies suggest that melatonin is generally safe but potentially it has been found to promote depression and delayed puberty in adults.    

The administration of melatonin supplements as a nutritional supplement is used in children with sleep disturbances. The result has been highly effective with no side effects. The introduction of melatonin supplements helps to maintain the hormone imbalance that causes sleep problems.

Melatonin and Children.

Children often suffer sleep disturbances, when coupled other sickness it becomes more severe.

Careful research shows that children with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, learning difficulties, intellectual disability suffer from more problematic results.

Because of the nature of melatonin, it is prescribed as a sleep prescription medication in children with sleep disorders.

Melatonin transmits signals to the body by chemically causing drowsiness, lowering the body temperature causing sleep. The production of melatonin is reduced in light but increased during the night or in darkness, it is thus considered a darkness hormone. The brain reduces the melatonin production during the day and helps induce sleep at night by increasing the production of melatonin.

How does Melatonin works?

As darkness falls, the brain signals to the pineal gland to produce more melatonin promoting sleep and regulating the body's sleep-wake cycle. Although the exact functions of how melatonin causes sleep is yet to be fully understood, it is known to be the main chemical substance secreted by the brain to cause sleep.

Human activities also hinder the production of melatonin. In children with exposure to lights and loud noise before sleep, may find it hard to sleep with a melatonin prescription, a reduction in light and noise aids more melatonin production to promoting sleep.

Is Melatonin Safe for Children? 

In children, between 0.3 mg-3mg/day or less has been tested. Although current research suggests that even doses as high as 10 mg are perfectly safe for children prescription.

In adults, 3-10 mg is usually a safe and effective dosage for treatment of sleep disorders.    




For more information on melatonin supplements, uses, dosage, side effects and research check my melatonin supplements page.

Madusha Emeka Writes freelance articles on sleep disorders. He owns and manages http://www.sleeping-with-a-sleeping-disorder.com





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

1 則留言:

  1. Thanks for providing such a great information about Melatonin, its benefits and relation with our body. Thank you again for your post.

    回覆刪除