Pediatric Melatonin Overdoses Rise Dramatically: CDC Report

additudemag.com:

June 8, 2022Rates of pediatric melatonin ingestions, including incidents that led to hospitalizations and other serious outcomes, have skyrocketed over the past decade, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1 that highlights the potential risks of melatonin exposure in children.The annual number of pediatric melatonin ingestions reported to national poison control centers jumped by 530% between 2012 and 2021 – from 8,337 to 52,563.

This number included reports of kids taking too much melatonin, which may be considered an overdose.Pediatric hospitalizations and other serious outcomes related to melatonin also increased during this time and were mostly linked to accidental ingestions among young children under the age of 5.

According to the report, five children required medical ventilation after overdosing on melatonin, and two children – a 3-month-old and a 13-month-old – died.Melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, is widely available as an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid and comes in various formulations.