Can a 2 year old have melatonin?

Question

I’m currently sleep deprived ! I’m up at dawn and sleep by afternoon. I’m TIRED. My sons schedule is all fucked up. All the way. So much. I feel like he sleeps better when his dads here. He goes to sleep @9-10 and stays asleep till 5 when is dads here with us sleeping. But, when it’s just me he never wants to go to bed and fights it or goes to sleep early and wakes up @ 1-2 in the morning.. & I don’t want to get up I try to put him back to bed and I can’t he will yell scream CRY! & all I want to do is sleep! By the time he goes to sleep it’s 4-6AM & I’m going to bed as well and he’ll take a short nap and be up! I’m just over it! I’m tired and need sleep and honestly want to give him gummies .. he’s 2Yrs + 7 months old. I’ve been going through this for a little over 2-3 weeks now so I’m desperate! I feel like I neglect him cause how tired I am and I cook less breakfast and give him just snacks 24/7
Thank you! You guys! 
Honestly I’ve just been going through it today. I would never rely on medication unless really necessary. I’ve seen the effects of Melatonin from a personal level I honestly just wanted to use it as a one time thing to get a schedule going again. He does go to bed early but, can never just stay asleep he’ll wake up crying .
When his dads here he’ll sleep through the entire night. No problem, I think it’s more of the company of us two together in bed. He loves laying in between us and falls asleep so easily!

Answer

You want to medicate your toddler so you can sleep? I’m sorry, but parenting comes with excessive sleep loss. You need to speak to his doctor and see what’s going on with his sleep schedule or you need to make adjustments yourself. A good sleep schedule depends on routine. A solid nap, solid bedtime, and a solid wake up time. 
I’m tired too. I have an almost 2 year old, an 11 month old who still constantly wakes overnight, and I’m 35+3. It’s doable.

Answer

Do not medicate your child with melatonin unless directed by a physician. Talk to your child’s pediatrician before using it. Melatonin may be a natural substance that we produce but supplementing with it does have risks (you can become dependent).

Answer

Absolutely no melatonin to a 2yr old. Bad side effects can easily happen. 
Also he should be in bed 730-8pm regardless if his dad is there or not. 9-10pm is way too late for a 2.5yr old and he’s most likely way over tired. Which makes it harder to get to sleep.

Answer

Please don't medicate your toddler unless directed by a doctor. Melatonin is natural in our bodies, but supplementing in another form carries risks. When you're taking melatonin in another form, your body realizes it doesn't need to produce as much anymore and you become dependent on it. Which is detrimental to a child who is still developing.
My eldest didn't sleep through the night until 3 years old. Stopped napping at 15 months old.
My middle son has autism. He was prescribed melatonin by his doctor at 23 months old, when he was diagnosed with autism. His pediatrician stressed that there are very rare circumstances in which a toddler should be on melatonin and one of them is for children with autism because children with autism tend to not produce enough melatonin without being supplemented. 
Even so, my son was only on melatonin for two months. It did cause him to knock out within 20 minutes but he would wake up throughout the night screaming, from what I assume were night terrors. Sweating, screaming, his little heart racing. It caused him to fear his own bed. I brought that up with the pediatrician who said older children he had prescribed melatonin, who were able to communicate (my son doesn't talk even at 3), said it caused them to have nightmares and night terrors. 
So I took my son off the melatonin and didn't look back. He's almost 3 now. Doesn't sleep through the night. Doesn't nap. I have to go into his room literally 5-8 times a night to put him back in bed. But I don't think it is worth the night terrors. And I want to give his body the chance to start producing enough melatonin on its own. But since he has autism, he may not ever produce enough, and may end up back on it. But it is my last resort and I will only do it once he has learned some way to communicate so he can tell me if it is giving him night terrors.

Answer

I just saw your update. You bedshare and he sleeps better with both of you? This isn’t meant to seem rude, but perhaps it’s time to get him into his own bed/bedroom.

Answer

I’d think on what else is different when dad is/isn’t there. Is some part of the bedtime routine missing or out of order? If he’s only eating snacks all day he may also be too sugared up to sleep well. Correct his diet and establish healthy routines say and night. Be sure things go exactly the same whether dad is there or not. My hubby works overnight every third night and with or without him I do same bath and lotion and tooth brushing routines with the kids at the same time in the same order. If you don’t have a clear routine start it now. Consistency is key.

Answer

Talk to his pediatrician first. But it definitely sounds tough and he needs a nighttime routine or it won’t improve. He is too little to self regulate, you have to do it for him. Once you establish a routine it will help so much no matter which parent does it. Good luck!

Answer

Try nighttime gripe water

Can a 2 year old have melatonin?

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