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Melatonin isn't meant as a sedative for children

Beth Whitehouse

Newsday columnist Beth Whitehouse Beth Whitehouse

Beth Whitehouse writes about children and families.

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Do you have any thoughts on the regular use of 1 milligram of melatonin as a sleep enhancer at bedtime for children ages 2 through teens?

Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone that controls the biological sleep clock. Unless a child has a documented deficiency in melatonin, there's no indication for taking the synthetic supplement on a regular basis, says Gila Hertz, director of the Huntington...

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