Friday, April 26, 2013

The Dangers of Melatonin in Children: A Problem of Overuse by Parents

The Dangers of Melatonin in Children: A Problem of Overuse by Parents


Throughout all of my years as a pediatrician, I have never witnessed the extensive abuse and overuse of any drug or therapy as widespread as what is happening with the current overuse of melatonin in children in the community in which I practice. I suspect and have very firm reason to believe that the overuse is in no way limited to this community alone. The issue is complex but it comes down to a basic tenet of pediatrics and parenting; “physician do no harm,” I would add in this case; “parents do no harm”.  Melatonin has become a mainstay of parenting in certain communities in recent years.


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