A mother has faced intense backlash after she claimed she gave her one-year-old son melatonin to help him sleep during a six-hour flight. The controversial tip was shared in a video on Instagram by the boy's father, which showed the mother placing a red gummy into the toddler's mouth while holding him in her arms.
Video sparks outrage
In the clip, the father wrote in the caption: "Life saver for those who travel," and added text over the video: "POV: Giving our son melatonin for our six hour flight." A second clip filmed 15 minutes later showed the toddler becoming drowsy and lying across his parents' knees. The parents commented: "15 minutes in and he's feeling it lol. 30 minutes later, out for the rest of the flight." The boy was then shown sleeping on his dad's lap as the parent smiled at the camera.
The post quickly went viral, attracting thousands of comments from concerned social media users. One user wrote: "Yikes, medicating kids with no reason," while another said: "Not worth the risk."
Medical experts warn of dangers
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates sleep cycles. It is sometimes used as a supplement for short-term sleep problems in adults or prescribed by doctors for long-term sleep issues in adults and children. However, in Australia, melatonin is only approved for use in children over the age of two and is available only with a prescription.
The Department of Health states that doctors will prescribe melatonin to children only in limited circumstances, such as for insomnia in children with autism or Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS). The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) emphasizes that children should only take melatonin if prescribed by a doctor and should never be given supplements purchased over the internet. "Unregistered products, especially those sold by online sellers that do not request a doctor's prescription, are extremely risky," the TGA website warns. "Parents are strongly encouraged to consult their child's treating medical practitioner regarding the use of melatonin. Melatonin products taken without appropriate medical oversight can cause serious side effects including hospitalisation and accidental overdose, especially in children."
Doctors have reiterated that melatonin should not be given to children under the age of two. It remains unclear whether the parents in the video had obtained medical advice before giving their child the melatonin gummy.
