Is melatonin safe for kids? Doctor shares concerns around possible side effects for children.
CBSN
With daylight saving time quickly approaching, many parents are worried about their kids losing an hour of sleep as clocks "spring forward." But are melatonin supplements a safe option to help them sleep?
One study shows 18.5% of children aged 5 to 9 sometimes take melatonin for sleep, and 19% of adolescents as well.
Melatonin "does seem to be safe for short term use," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings" Friday, But she adds there are a few things to be aware of.
DENVER — Pediatrician Patricia Braun and her team saw roughly 100 children at a community health clinic on a recent Monday. They gave flu shots and treatments for illnesses like ear infections. But Braun also did something most primary care doctors don't. She peered inside mouths searching for cavities or she brushed fluoride varnish on their teeth.