Question about Melatonin?

[Mommy2MCL]

My DD is doing well. We have been better but we have also been worse... For about a week she has had leg tics right before bed. Motrin will usually kick in about 20 minutes after given. She doesn't have these tics during the day. So I kinda of think this seems to be an OCD tic... She gets into bed, which makes her think about it, then she can't stop thinking about it, then she can't fall asleep. She has done this once before with a breathing tic. Only happened at dinner for about a week and then went away.

 

Our Dr. suggest chlonodine (not sure if correct spelling). So far we have been lucky and have only used antibiotics and supplements. So I am curious if anyone has successfully used Melatonin? I really think if we give it to her for a few days, she can maybe get out of the habit of thinking about these leg tics and won't need the melatonin anymore.

 

Any thoughts or experiences are welcome.

 

Thank you,

Megan

[ashley]

Sleep issues have been one of my son's biggest problems and we too were prescribed clonidine (by neurologist.) It worked very well and absolutely saved us when we were in crisis, but at the urging of our pediatrician we switched him to melatonin and it has worked just as well!! I would definitely give it a try. My son also has restless leg problems at bedtime. The melatonin doesn't make him pass out the way the clonidine did, but it definitely helps him fall asleep and (most often) stay asleep. Our pediatrician did say we could redose if he woke up in the middle of the night.

 

Hope it helps!

[Mommy2MCL]

Thanks!!! Did you use liquid or pills? I got the liquid and it says 4 drops in juice.... It's totally stuck in her mind... She is trying to use strategies to help but we kinda got lax on those... So they don't seem to be helping her. I know sleep is so important... She woke up with bags under her eyes because I am assuming she is not getting restful sleep...

 

I sat by her last night and scratched her back and I could feel the muscles in her legs squeezing. Not sure if that is RLS

[Hmrz]

We use a sugar free gummy and it works nicely

[Hopeny]

I use it all the time 1 mg sub lingual I buy it from the vitamin shoppe. I also take it myself but higher dose

[pr40]

what is a leg tic your child has? is it a movement? or is it a feeling?

we have dd with rls, 1.5 mg melatonin helps with fewer side effects than clondine.

[dcmom]

We use source naturals sublingual drops from Amazon. Works wonders for sleep. All our docs approve.

 

Start w/ lowest dose (.5mg) so you can use lowest effective dose.

[qannie47]

Is the Motrin not working? If it is how about just stick with that? I used to do compression therapy on my when this was a problem...pm me and I can elaborate...worked extremely well. If motrin does work, I would suggest to keep with that. Melatonin does work on the brain chemicals, and if you don't have to mess with them.....

Edited April 11, 2014 by qannie47

[Missmom]

We use vistaril which is an antihistamine like benedril this time of year because of seasonal allergies. It also relieves anxiety and helps my son fall asleep. When seasonal allergies are over, we switch to melatonin at .5 mg. lowest dose. Both of these have helped greatly.

[ibcdbwc]

We have used it as well. During a big time flare it doesn't seem to help but with little popcorn flares it seems to help. You do not need much. DS13 is 105 pounds and only takes 0.5mg.

 

I have read warnings regarding side effects related to long term use, growth stunting and problems with puberty however I can't seem to locate any actual studies.

Edited April 11, 2014 by ibcdbwc

[Mommy2MCL]

Thanks everyone... the Motrin has worked every night except last night... Usually Motrin helps within 20 minutes. Then I went in and scratched her back and she was fine.

 

As for the movements, she calls them tics. Has only had them about a week... So they are relatively new. She will lay, start worrying about it, and then they happen. LAst night I I felt her legs tensing...

 

So I gave her .5 milligrams in OJ. I'm going to do that for a few days and then give her oj without any in it... Then hopefully it will be out of her mind and we can have it as needed...

Edited April 11, 2014 by mommy2mcl

[pr40]

you give OJ before sleep? to a child who tends to get anxious? logic?

 

motrin is a muscle relaxant. it helps her relax.

 

maybe you mean to thank only ladies, but you should know that some of us who post are that other gender.

[qannie47]

pr40....Just think of it as the ultimate compliment!

 

Truly, I personally love it when I see fathers weighing in.

Edited April 11, 2014 by qannie47

[DsMom]

Melatonin made my DS feel like he was in a spin, so if she complains of feeling weird after trying it, it might be the M.

 

Clonidine worked wonders for him for about a year, but then he got POTS and it exacerbated the POTS stuff, still looking for a sleep helper. Might go back to Visteril, thanks Missmom for bringing it up, I'd forgotten about it.

 

He's just started to have leg tremors, just a few here and there, I also appreciate the Ibuprofen tip for that. I love this forum and all the great information sharing. And, hopefully the melatonin will work wonderfully for your DS.

[Guest]

I've taken it for years. It doesn't work as a sleeping pill, it doesn't really make me sleepy or tired. It's mostly effective with regulating sleep - wake cycle. So it helps to tell your brain when it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up. I've gone on a trip without it and couldn't sleep, definitely a necessity. But it won't work like say ambien or seroquel or clonidine. It's more like telling your brain it's time to get ready for bed. Take 2 hours before desired bedtime, was told this by several sleep specialists and it works for me this way. Extended release works better for some people.