Risks of Melatonin Use in Children

Evidence indicates that the use of melatonin among children increased from 0.1% to 0.7% between 2007 and 2012 (Black et al. 2015). It is tempting to speculate that social changes, such as the growth in the number of families with two working parents, an increase in stressors, and an apparent elevation of profound fatigue may have contributed to increased reliance on sleep aids such as melatonin, which do not have proven long-term safety.

Melatonin is an indoleamine neurohormone synthesized from t…