July 4, 2013 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

pediatricians worry about an overuse of melatonin supplements in children.

An article from the WSJ, http://goo.gl/4F7Fa illustrates the ongoing discussion about children taking melatonin supplements. Melatonin is a naturally occurring sleep hormone produced in the pineal gland. Melatonin levels increase when it is dark. As melatonin levels increase, a person begins to feel drowsy and their body temperature decreases; the perfect condition for sleep to take place!

It seems that as people age, their melatonin levels decrease and this could explain why sleep can be more elusive as we get older. Many adults take melatonin supplements.

The concern that doctors have with children being given these supplements, is that it can have an adverse affect on their development. According to Dr. Ditchek , clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine, “there is a lack of long-term clinical studies to see how the hormone supplement interacts with other hormones in the body, potentially affecting fertility or sexual development.” However he does see a use for it in regulating the sleep-wake cycle of children who have the most severe sleep and neurological disorders.

For healthy children who are sleep deprived, it is always better for them to be sleep trained so they can learn how to fall asleep naturally; a skill that will serve both them, and their parents!

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2014-02-06T17:18:13+00:00

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"What I also found so appealing about Angela, is that she respected me as a mother. Her guidance kept me empowered. And she has the sweetest most soothing voice!"

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2014-02-06T17:16:34+00:00

"After putting Angela’s techniques to use, we had a baby who went from several night wakings to only one waking a night! Angela was a great help, and was sensitive to my beliefs as a parent. We are so lucky to have worked with her!"

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"Angela helped my daughter make the transition to sleeping in her bassinet, and also helped to clarify the basics of baby sleep cycles. Her sleep habits have greatly improved and she is an alert and...

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2014-02-06T17:16:59+00:00

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"Angela was so helpful to me in my early attempts to sleep train my daughter; she was quick to respond, reassuring, empathetic and incredibly patient! Since I was dealing with my own sleep deprivation, I...

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2014-02-06T17:17:52+00:00

"Angela was so helpful to me in my early attempts to sleep train my daughter; she was quick to respond, reassuring, empathetic and incredibly patient! Since I was dealing with my own sleep deprivation, I appreciated that she always sent me a recap of our conversations in an email after we spoke."

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"Working with Angela from Babes in Sleepland, our daughter Violet has gotten so much better in just a week’s time. She’s been so full of smiles and I feel liberated. Now we can fall head-over-heels...

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2014-02-06T17:18:02+00:00

"Working with Angela from Babes in Sleepland, our daughter Violet has gotten so much better in just a week’s time. She’s been so full of smiles and I feel liberated. Now we can fall head-over-heels in love with her. When you are sleep-deprived, it’s hard to be truly happy to see your child in the morning when you have been hanging out with them all night! Angela, thank you for your support during all these changes. Your business certainly fills a gap that sleep-deprived moms, dads, babies and families need. With your training and expertise, you are able to take care of moms to get them and the whole family sleeping."

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