Magnesium and Melatonin for Sleep Issues in Toddler?

Taking melatonin can cause the body to stop producing it on its own.
Along the lines of the weighted blankets, there is also a brushing technique that may help. Contact a pediatric occupational therapist to get information about it.

Updated

Taking melatonin can cause the body to stop producing it on its own.
Along the lines of the weighted blankets, there is also a brushing technique that may help. Contact a pediatric occupational therapist to get information about it.

I would absolutely check with her pediatrician 1st before giving Magnesium.

I do have one suggestion, have you ever heard of weighted blankets? I found out about them from a speech therapist friend who is very knowledgable about sensory processing disorder from working along with occupational therapists. She tells me they are good for anyone with sleep problems. She was considering getting one herself.

Here is some information that explains why they help.

http://www.weightedblanket.net/sensory-processing-disorde...

Here is a really good website that sells them and has lots of info.
Check out the testimonials too.

http://www.weightedblanket.net/index.htm

There are other websites that sell them also. You could compare this one with others. I keep giving this website out to people simply because it's the one my friend e-mailed to me, and is the only one I am familiar with.
I know what it's like to not get quality sleep night after night so I can really sympathize. I hope this information is helpful to you :)

Try:
Animal Parade "Warm Milk", chewable tabs.
It is a brand that makes supplements for kids. All natural.
Safe.
You can read about it on Amazon.
You can find it at Whole Foods or natural food stores.
I have used this for my daughter.

Or: 'Hyland's Calms Forte- For Kids."
Which you can also read about and the reviews on Amazon.
All natural.
I use the adult version myself.

Next, at this age they DO have sleep tweaks.
They are changing a lot and in cognition and in imagination.

She also sounds real OVER-tired.
Which makes sleeping worse and over tired kids actually do not fall asleep well nor stay asleep well and they wake more.
She is probably behaving all erratic like that, because... she is so over-tired and not getting a good sleep.

Also at this age, they DO have night-mares and dreaming. So, that wakes them too. You cannot turn off, their imaginations and dreaming/night mares are involuntary.

They also do not have fully developed emotions, at this age.
They don't even know how they feel, it is either one or the other extreme at this age.

Also, if over-stimulated, before bed, some kids just have a HARD time, keying down, on their own. They need to be allowed to "wind-down" and to be verbally cued... as to the night time routine.
I would keep things DARK, in the evening. Only 1 lamp light on. Try and key her down and wind-down. For my son, he liked to watch the show "Little Bear" and it would relax him. I would keep the room dark, and quiet.

have a nightly routine... BEFORE the actual bedtime.
So it allows you to key her down and wind-down... BEFORE the actual bedtime. Thereby, the clock not ticking away and it getting later and later.
For my kids, I start winding them down 1 hour or 1.5 hours, before their actual bed time. Not including their bath.
Once they are keyed down... they are more prone to then feel relaxed.
And, NO horse-play, before bed.
It just gets them all wound up again.

forget the melatonin make her take more naps. my son did this and it was adviced to make him start taking naps again which i have done. he sleeps about 2 hrs in the day and drops dead asleep no later than 930. and sleeps till 9am. being to tired made him not sleep at night or not stay asleep. make her take more or longer naps whichever the case may be and you will have a baby sleeping like a log. mne does crawl in bed with me about 3am and right back to sleep and get a night light incase she is scared of the dark like mine is

I have 2 suggestions for you.

1. Epson Salt Baths at night. The Epson Salt has Magnesium in it and will soak thru the skin. Make sure that you do not put any soap in the tub for the first 10mins to get the most benifit. I give this bath to both of my kids every night. This type of bath also helps with Ezema (dry skin) if you or your child ever suffers from that.

2. Weighted Blankets are great also. Both of my kids have one. The sites below are great resorces for them. I also make and sell them. If you have a facebook page you can go to "Weighted Blankets by D." Mine are fully washable and dryable. For the mom who made hers with the rice if you replace the rice with Polly Pellets you would be able to wash and dry the blanket you made.

It is possible that at least some of your daughter's sleep difficulties could be the result of a chemically toxic influence during the day or especially in or around her sleeping area. I'm chemically sensitive, and exposures can do a number on my moods and ability to cope, and absolutely ruin my ability to sleep for days at a time. I keep hearing from young families who are surprised to learn their children have been developing sensitivities to certain chemicals, or sometimes virtually all chemicals.

If you are interested in exploring this possibiilty, you might try eliminating all commercial household cleaners and air fresheners for a few weeks (many of them are truly toxic, anyway), cleaning with baking soda or white vinegar, using free and clear detergent, skipping the (truly poisonous) fabric softeners, and avoiding artificial colors and preservatives in the foods she eats. A scent-free bath soap and shampoo could help.

You might be surprised at how much these are affecting her. And it's also surprising that you can get a really clean, good smelling home without spending so much money on advertised wonder products.

my understanding of melatonin, is that its for adults- we make less as we age.. and that makes me wonder if supplementing a child with it will "teach" her body not to make it? Have you tried sleepytime tea, by Celestial seasonings, in the green box.. My kids loved that, with honey. I find it relaxing to drink, and it even seems to help anxiety. I would try that or talk to someone in a health foods store, or supplement shop. Also, feed her turkey, bananas & what ever else "sleep" inducing foods you can. Maybe its something in her diet? if those "monsters" ever do come in to play, make some "monster spray" water in a labelled bottle, to spray under her bed, in the closet, & wherever else they tend to lurk. totally convinced my step kids with this LOL

I am also pro-melatonin. My middle son uses it to help him fall asleep but once he is sleeping he can stay asleep and has no trouble going back to sleep if he wakes up. No help in that area from me and I have never had any experiences with magnesium.

I wanted to comment on what Linda P said about the weighted blankets. I have sleep issues and I have tried lots of things and none work for me. Now I have never heard of using weighted blankets but after reading what Linda P wrote I do have to say that if I put extra blankets on myself at night I can fall asleep faster. For some reason all the extra blankets help settle me down. I have at least 3 blankets on me at night all the time even in the summer.

Its worth a try

I can't comment on the melatonin since I've never had to use it. But my oldest son is on a magnesium supplement. It's called Natural Calm and he drinks it once a day, usually just when he's coming home from school. He has behavorial issues and it's helped a lot with him. As a society, most of us don't get enough magnesium in our diets and when it's under/over balanced, it really stresses our systems out.

It comes in powdered form, flavored & unflavored. It ranges from about $18 - $30 a can (depending on size). I buy the $30 unflavored canister and it usually lasts us at least a month.

First, I've used melatonin on my own child for 4 years so I'm pro-melatonin. Melatonin is not regulated by the FDA so there is no way of knowing for sure how much is in each tablet. Melatonin is also only supposed to help you fall asleep not keep you asleep. Talk to your pharmacist, local natural health practitioner to find out if the two will cause a reaction. I've never heard of taking magnesium for sleep but I'm also not a doctor. Best of luck to you.

***I second the weighted blanket idea. My son was dreadful at sleeping when he was younger and I used a wheighted blanket that I made myself. I looked that the poundage on the website and measured out enough rice. The only downside is that I couldn't wash it . . .that's why I stopped using it and my son is a better sleeper now. I would get one.

My friend's son will be 3 in May and he has been on melatonin supplements since he was 9 mos old because of sleep problems. Some people just don't produce enough melatonin.

I don't know the dosage, but talking to your pediatrician would be the place to start :)