While behavioral approaches are recommended as a first-line treatment, melatonin can be helpful in jump-starting a behavioral routine.

There are potential downsides to melatonin, though. It is considered a dietary supplement and is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This makes it hard for parents to tell how much melatonin a pill or gummy contains, let alone what other substances the supplement may include.

In the past several years, there has been an uptick in overdoses of melatonin. In 2021, compared to 2012, the yearly number of overdoses increased 530%, with more than 260,000 overdoses reported.

That report found that, in cases of overdoses, children experienced drowsiness, dizziness, headache, vomiting and more serious side effects, such as low blood pressure and increased heart rate. Although only a small number of overdoses – 1.6% – resulted in serious outcomes, five children required breathing assistance through mechanical ventilation, and two children died. Overdoses can result from children eating a bunch of gummies, or parents not understanding how much melatonin is safe to give.

To help parents sift through all the resources and articles on melatonin on the internet and social media, one of us created a video and wrote several blogs on melatonin safety. These include topics like whether children can become dependent on melatonin supplements over time, whether taking melatonin will delay puberty, whether children might experience side effects from taking melatonin and more.

Here are some general tips for helping your child sleep better, regardless of whether they are neurodiverse:

Choose a consistent bedtime and wake time. This consistency will help children’s own natural melatonin kick in.

Make sure bedtime isn’t too early. For example, an 8 p.m. bedtime is too early for most 10-year-olds. Neurodiverse children may struggle to sleep and will become more anxious, which makes going to sleep even harder.

Help your child get natural sunlight in the morning. Morning sunlight sets our brain’s internal clock so that we can fall asleep more easily at bedtime.

Ensure your child is getting physical activity during the day.

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