No medicine, supplement or remedy is recommended to make a baby or young child sleep. Melatonin is sometimes used for older children with long-term sleep problems, but only with a doctor's advice. Sedating antihistamines and cough and cold medicines can seriously harm young children and shouldn't be used to help them sleep. Herbal remedies, honey and essential oils carry their own risks. For most young children, the safer and more effective fixes are a predictable routine, a good sleep set-up and help from your GP or health visitor when sleep problems persist.
Is melatonin safe for babies and toddlers?
Melatonin is a hormone your body makes in the evening to help control when you sleep, as the NHS explains. Synthetic melatonin is sold as tablets, liquids and gummies. None of the guidance we checked suggests it for babies. It's discussed for older children, usually those with long-term sleep problems or neurodevelopmental conditions, and always with medical supervision.
The AAP's guide to melatonin says:
- melatonin is "NOT a sleeping pill"
- it should only be used after a discussion with your child's doctor
- it may be a short-term help for some children while you keep working on bedtime routines, and may help some children with neurodevelopmental disorders, with careful monitoring
- the most common side effects are morning sleepiness, drowsiness and possibly weeing more at night, and it may interact with other medicines
- less is known about longer use, including effects on growth and development around puberty
- from 2012 to 2021 there were more than a quarter of a million child poisoning reports involving melatonin in the US; some children needed hospital care and two died
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2022 health advisory adds that many children's sleep problems are better managed with changes to schedules, habits or behaviour than with melatonin, and that melatonin should be handled like any other medicine and kept out of reach.
Why is melatonin regulated so differently by country?
| Region | How melatonin is supplied | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US | Sold over the counter as a dietary supplement, not regulated by the FDA like medicines | AAP, AASM |
| UK | Prescription only; children only if a specialist recommends it | NHS |
| Australia | Pharmacists can supply it to people over 55 or adults with jet lag; occasionally prescribed for children | healthdirect |
In the US, product quality is a real concern. The AASM reports that in one study, products contained anywhere from less than half to more than four times the amount on the label, with chewable tablets the most variable. The AAP notes some supplements have also contained serotonin or cannabidiol (CBD). The AASM suggests choosing a product with the USP Verified Mark if your child's doctor recommends melatonin.
In the UK, the NHS says children with longer-term sleep problems can take melatonin if a specialist recommends it. In Australia, healthdirect's guide to sleeping pills says melatonin may occasionally be prescribed for children with long-term sleep problems, and your doctor may refer your child to a specialist.
Can antihistamines or cough medicines help a child sleep?
They shouldn't be used for this. Some older antihistamines, such as promethazine and doxylamine, cause drowsiness as a side effect. Australia's healthdirect says these are anti-allergy medicines, not sleeping pills, and that:
- they should never be given to children under 2 for any reason
- children and teenagers shouldn't be given them to help with sleep, because this can be harmful
The rules on these medicines differ by country:
| Region | What the guidance says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No sedating antihistamines like promethazine under 6; cough and cold medicines not suitable under 6 | healthdirect |
| UK | No over-the-counter cough and cold remedies under 6 unless a GP or pharmacist advises; promethazine liquid for ages 2 to 5 only if prescribed | NHS |
| US | No cough and cold products with an antihistamine or decongestant under 2; products labelled "do not use" under 4 | FDA |
Australia's healthdirect guide to medicines for children lists sedating antihistamines among medicines you should never give a baby or young child. The NHS says children under 6 shouldn't have over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, including decongestants, unless a GP or pharmacist advises it, and its promethazine guidance says not to give children aged 5 or under cough and cold medicines containing promethazine. The FDA warns these products can cause serious and possibly life-threatening side effects in young children, including convulsions, a fast heart rate and death.
There's also a broader reason to avoid anything that makes a baby sleep more deeply. The Lullaby Trust says it's usual for babies under one to wake at night, and that making them sleep longer or more deeply than is usual for their age may affect their ability to wake if something is wrong, such as their mouth and nose becoming covered.
Are herbal teas, chamomile or honey safe sleep aids for babies?
Herbal products aren't proven to help babies sleep, and some carry risks.
- Herbal medicines and teas: Australia's healthdirect says some people take herbal medicines for sleep, but their safety and effectiveness may not be scientifically proven, and not to give any medicine to children without talking to a doctor or pharmacist. RCH Melbourne's guideline on unsettled babies calls herbal "colic" mixtures not effective and possibly harmful.
- Honey: the NHS says not to give honey until your child is over 1 year old, because it can occasionally contain bacteria that cause infant botulism, a serious illness. That includes honey in warm milk.
- Combining remedies: the NHS warns that people taking melatonin shouldn't take herbal remedies that affect sleep at the same time, as this may make them very drowsy.
Don't use teas or remedies in place of milk feeds. For drinks in the first year, see water for babies.
Are lavender and essential oils safe around babies?
Essential oils are concentrated and can be poisonous, especially if swallowed. Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne's poisoning guideline says that ingestions of as little as 2 to 3 mL of some essential oils have been linked to toxicity in children. It lists lavender, eucalyptus, clove and several others among oils with described effects, which can include drowsiness, seizures and a type of pneumonia from oil getting into the lungs.
US Poison Control says children have thin skin and immature livers, which may make them more susceptible to toxic effects. It advises:
- keeping essential oils locked up, out of the sight and reach of children, or discarding them if you have young children
- keeping reed diffuser liquid out of children's reach
- diluting oils in a carrier oil before any skin use, and not using them on damaged skin
- treating any allergic reaction with difficulty breathing as a medical emergency
We found no health guidance recommending lavender or other essential oils to help babies sleep, so the cautious approach is not to use essential oils on your baby's skin, in their cot or near their sleep space. If a "natural" sleep spray, balm or roll-on lists essential oils in its ingredients, the same cautions apply.
What helps young children sleep instead?
The AAP says good sleep habits are the best medicine. Most of what helps is free:
- A predictable bedtime routine — the same few calm steps in the same order each night. See bedtime routine.
- No screens for at least 1 hour before bed, as the AAP suggests.
- Consistent sleep and wake times, adjusted for your child's age — see baby sleep schedule by age.
- A safe, comfortable sleep space — see sleep environment.
- A settling approach that suits your family if waking is a problem — see sleep training overview.
Waking at night is usual for babies under one, as the Lullaby Trust notes. If your child's sleep is affecting the whole family, your GP or health visitor can help you work out a plan, and your health visitor, or NHS 111 can help in the meantime.
When does a sleep problem need a doctor?
Call 999 now if your child stops breathing for more than 20 seconds, their skin turns pale, blue or grey, or there's a change in their muscle tone, as the AAP's guide to sleep apnoea advises. Also call 999 if your child has swallowed a medicine, melatonin or an essential oil and is very drowsy, having a seizure, coughing or struggling to breathe.
Get advice straight away if your child has swallowed melatonin, a medicine or an essential oil but seems well: call your local poisons information centre or NHS 111. RCH Melbourne says children who may have swallowed more than 5 mL of an essential oil need medical assessment.
Tell your GP or health visitor promptly about loud snoring, breathing problems at night, daytime sleepiness, trouble paying attention or behaviour problems. The AAP lists these as possible signs of sleep apnoea, which is often treatable. The AAP also notes that young babies can have short pauses followed by quick "catch-up" breathing, called periodic breathing, which is generally normal and usually outgrown by about 6 months.
Talk to your doctor before trying melatonin or any supplement, and if sleep problems last for weeks or are affecting your child's mood or development. If exhaustion is making you feel unsafe or you have thoughts of harming yourself or your child, call Samaritans on 116 123 or 999.
The baby sleep sounds guide explains which noises are normal in a sleeping baby.