AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
There are new guidelines for companies that make melatonin, and they call for child-deterrent packaging and other safety measures. Melatonin is a hormone that is widely used as a sleep aid, including by children. And in recent years, nearly 11,000 kids have visited the emergency room after taking it. Here to tell us more is NPR's Maria Godoy. Hi, Maria.
MARIA GODOY, BYLINE: Hi, Ayesha.
RASCOE: So these guidelines are coming from the dietary supplement industry itself. Like, why are they acting now?
GODOY: Yeah. So the guidelines come from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, and that's the leading industry trade group for dietary supplement makers. Steve Mister is the group's CEO, and he told me they've had a task force working on this for about a year. And there are really two issues here. One is that the number of really young kids accidentally taking melatonin has skyrocketed in recent years. Mister says this has coincided with an increased sales.
STEVE MISTER: This is an issue that needs to be dealt with. There's more melatonin out there, and more kids seem to be getting into it.
GODOY: And then the other issue is that more and more kids are taking melatonin on purpose as a sleep aid. A recent study found nearly 1 in 5 school-age kids and adolescents are now using it on a regular basis. The guidelines address both of these issues.
RASCOE: And when we say child-deterrent packaging and other safety measures, like, what does that actually mean?
GODOY: So first of all, they call for packaging that's harder for young kids to open. And it's specifically for melatonin that's sold in flavored form - so gummies and chewables that might be appealing to kids, especially little ones who might think it's candy or even vitamins. And the guidelines also call for labels that clearly warn that melatonin can make you drowsy and should only be used with adult supervision and kept out of the reach of children. And it's only meant for occasional use, which is a point a lot of pediatricians have been making.
RASCOE: So what is the concern about using melatonin regularly in kids?
GODOY: Well, so for one thing, there's just not a lot of research on melatonin use in children, especially not long term and especially with the youngest kids. So there really is no guidelines for dosing, like when to give it or how much. It's possible for kids to take too much, which can lead to severe headaches, stomach pains, dizziness and extreme drowsiness. There's also concerns about how much melatonin is in a given supplement. Some studies have found that some supplements contained much more melatonin than what was listed on the label, although the industry disputes those findings.
RASCOE: Well, given these concerns, what should parents do if they can't get their kids to sleep? Should they not use melatonin at all?
GODOY: Every pediatrician I've talked to recommends focusing on sleep hygiene first, so turning off screens at least an hour before bedtime, using blackout shades and noise-canceling machines or earplugs, that kind of thing. Dr. Nia Heard-Garris with Northwestern University and Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago says parents should definitely talk to their kids' pediatricians before giving them melatonin, especially if they're considering using it in the youngest kids like preschoolers because, again, it's easy to give them too much. And even in older kids, she says, melatonin use should be just very occasional.
NIA HEARD-GARRIS: You tell me that you're using it three times a week, and I'm like, that's more that I want you to be using it. What's going on? If it's once a year, you know, once every, like, for or five months, maybe that's less of a red flag.
GODOY: And if you are going to use it, look for the lowest dose possible. Don't give it for more than three days at a time. And look for a product that is tested by a third party, like NSF or U.S. Pharmacopeia, so that you've got some guarantee of what's in it.
RASCOE: NPR's Maria Godoy. Thanks so much, Maria.
GODOY: My pleasure.
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