Melatonin for Kids: Is It Safe and When Should You Use It?

If you’ve ever Googled melatonin at 10:42 pm while your child is still wide awake, you’re not alone.

Sleep questions are some of the most common conversations I have with families in Issaquah and across the Eastside. Melatonin feels easy. It’s over the counter. It seems gentle. A lot of parents wonder:

• Is melatonin safe for kids?
• How much should I give?
• Will my child become dependent on it?
• Is it okay long term?

Here’s my take on melatonin.

What Is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone your brain already makes on its own. It rises in the evening when it gets dark and signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and fall asleep.

Melatonin supplements don’t knock kids out like a sedating medication would. They work more like a signal to the body and brain.

That’s an important distinction. If the problem is timing, melatonin can help. If the problem is something else, it may not.

Is Melatonin Safe for Children?

Short-term use of melatonin in children is generally considered safe when used thoughtfully and at appropriate doses.

But safe doesn’t mean automatic.

A few important things parents should know:

• Over-the-counter melatonin products can vary in actual dose. Just because the bottle says one or five milligrams, doesn’t mean that’s actually the amount your child gets.
• Long-term research in children is still limited.
• There are ongoing questions about how chronic use might affect puberty timing, although we do not have clear evidence of harm.
• Most importantly, melatonin does not fix inconsistent routines or late-night screen exposure.

If a child’s sleep environment and schedule are chaotic, melatonin usually just adds another variable.

When Melatonin Can Be Helpful

Melatonin can be especially helpful when the issue is delayed sleep timing. For example:

• Kids who simply do not feel sleepy until very late
• Children with ADHD who struggle to “turn off” at night
• Children with certain neurodevelopmental differences, Autism in particular
• Short-term schedule adjustments, like travel

It works best alongside efforts to maintain good sleep hygiene:

• A consistent bedtime routine
• Predictable wake times
• Reduced screen exposure in the evening
• A calm, dark sleep environment

It’s helpful, but not a replacement for good sleep habits.

What Is the Right Dose?

This is where many families are surprised. Most kids respond to very low doses. Often 0.5 mg to 1 mg taken about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime is enough.

More is not better. Higher doses can increase side effects like:

• Morning grogginess
• Headaches
• Vivid dreams

If you’re starting melatonin, I recommend starting low.

What About Long-Term Use?

This is where the conversation gets more specific to the child.

For many kids, melatonin is best used as a bridge. It can help reset sleep timing while you build consistent sleep habits underneath it.

If a child cannot sleep at all without melatonin, that’s usually a sign we should step back and look at the bigger picture.

That bigger picture might include:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Inconsistent schedules
• Screen exposure
• Underlying medical concerns

However, there are certain conditions where longer-term melatonin use may be appropriate.

For children with ADHD or autism, sleep onset challenges are common and often biologically driven. In these cases, melatonin can be very helpful, but dosing and timing sometimes need to be more intentional. Some children benefit from very low doses earlier in the evening. Others may require careful adjustment over time.

This is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

If your child has ADHD, autism, or other neurodevelopmental differences, it’s worth having a conversation with a pediatrician about how to use melatonin thoughtfully rather than experimenting on your own.

When to Talk to a Pediatrician

It’s a good idea to seek guidance if:

• Your child snores loudly or has pauses in breathing
• Sleep problems are affecting mood or school
• You find yourself increasing the dose
• Bedtime is consistently stressful or anxiety-filled

Sleep affects emotional regulation, attention, learning, and family dynamics. It’s not “just bedtime.”

A Pediatrician’s Perspective

When families ask me about melatonin, I don’t start with the supplement, I start with the history. I ask questions like:

• What is bedtime actually like?
• What is your child’s brain doing at night?
• What patterns are we seeing?

Melatonin can be helpful, but the goal is steady, sustainable sleep that supports your child’s emotional and physical health.

If you’re unsure whether melatonin is right for your child, especially if there are underlying conditions like ADHD or autism, it’s worth talking it through.

Sleep does not have to feel like a nightly battle. And most of the time, there is a thoughtful path forward.

Dr. Sean Park

Lighthouse Pediatrics

Issaquah, Washington

Serving families in Issaquah, Sammamish, and the greater Eastside