Survey: 1 in 5 parents report giving children melatonin for sleep
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Key takeaways:
- Over a quarter of all parents described getting their child to bed as difficult.
- Overall, 23% of parents say their young child cannot go to sleep because of being worried or anxious.
Approximately one in five parents responding to a national survey reported giving their child melatonin for sleep, researchers reported.
The 2024 University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health received 781 responses from parents with at least one child aged 1 to 6 years. Among respondents, 27% described getting their child to bed as difficult.
“Our report reinforces the common struggle of getting young children to sleep,” Sarah J. Clark, MPH, codirector of the Mott Poll, said in a press release. “When this transition to bedtime becomes a nightly conflict, some parents may fall into habits that work in the moment but could set them up for more sleep issues down the road.”
Almost one in five respondents — 19% — said they “often” or “sometimes” give their child melatonin to help with sleep, and 15% reported talking with their child’s health care provider about sleep problems.
Melatonin is characterized in the United States as a dietary supplement, but it is widely used as an over-the-counter sleep aid, and many physicians wrongly believe it to be a recommended treatment for insomnia. Its use has increased dramatically among adults and children.
Additionally, from 2019 to 2022, there were around 11,000 ED visits by infants and young children for unsupervised exposures to melatonin.
As to where children sleep, 47% of parents said their child sleeps in their own bedroom, 21% said in a bedroom with siblings, 22% in the parents’ bedroom and 10% for part of the night in their own bedroom and part of the night with parents.
In terms of light, 61% of parents said they leave on a night-light, 14% crack open a door to let in light and 25% keep the room dark.
Regarding noise, 39% of parents said they keep the room quiet, whereas others put on white noise (33%), soft music (15%) or a video or TV show (13%) while their child goes to sleep. Parents said they often (31%) or sometimes (19%) stay in the room until their child falls asleep.
Reasons for delays in getting to sleep included the child staying up to play (65%), hearing noise from other rooms (43%) and being worried or anxious (23%).
In all, 90% of parents reported having a bedtime routine for their child, which may include brushing teeth (90%), reading bedtime stories (67%), bathing (54%), having a drink of water (47%) or snack (23%), turning off devices (41%), praying (31%) and talking about their day (23%).
Clark advised putting a consistent bedtime routine in place to provide a sense of security and comfort to signal to a child that it would be time to “slow down.” For a child, knowing what to expect next can reduce anxiety and help them feel safe and relaxed, while at the same time bonding with parents, she said.
“Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial,” Clark said. “When children don’t get enough rest, it can impact their physical development, emotional regulation and behavior. Parents may need to adjust sleep routines gradually to transition to changes to a child’s sleep patterns.”
References:
Bedtime battles: 1 in 4 parents say their child can’t go to sleep because they’re worried or anxious. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1047924. Published June 17, 2024. Accessed June 17, 2024.
Mott Poll Report. Getting young children to bed: sweet dreams or nightmare? https://mottpoll.org/reports/getting-young-children-bed-sweet-dreams-or-nightmare. Accessed June 17, 2024.
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Mott Poll Report. Getting young children to bed: sweet dreams or nightmare? https://mottpoll.org/reports/getting-young-children-bed-sweet-dreams-or-nightmare. Accessed June 17, 2024.
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