As families return to school-term routines, sleep difficulties often resurface. For many parents, particularly those raising children with neurodevelopmental conditions, melatonin has become a widely discussed option. Yet its growing use raises important questions about regulation, effectiveness and safety.

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It plays a key role in regulating the sleep–wake cycle, the body’s internal clock that helps us feel alert during the day and sleepy at night. Melatonin levels usually rise in response to darkness, signalling that it is time to sleep. The medication sold as melatonin is a synthetic version of this naturally occurring hormone.

In adults, melatonin is commonly used to manage jet lag or sleep disruption linked to shift work fatigue. In recent years, however, its use in children has increased. In England, overall melatonin use has risen sharply, from around two prescriptions per 1,000 people in 2008 to nearly 20 per 1,000 by 2019, representing a tenfold increase.

In the UK, melatonin is available only on prescription. It is licensed for the short-term treatment of insomnia in adults aged 55 and over. There are also limited melatonin preparations licensed for use in children with neurodevelopmental conditions or genetic brain conditions that disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders commonly experience sleep difficulties. These may include problems falling asleep, irregular sleep–wake patterns, frequent night waking and shorter overall sleep duration.

Read more: Can kids........

© The Conversation