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MrsD

Melatonin

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Hi,

 

I wonder if anyone can help advise me?

 

Four months ago my 4 year son with ASD was prescribed Melatonin by his Consultant Paed at the Child Development Centre for hyperactivity at bed time. The Paed told me it was a tablet, I told her DS would not take a tablet (4 years old!), she told me to crush it and put it in food/drink. It worked fantastically well and we are still using it. However, the Paed wrote to the GP and asked them to now prescribe Melatonin 2mg.

 

The Melatonin tablets we were given were slow release and said "swallow whole". I didn't think about checking this at the time because the Paed told me to crush them.

 

When I collected the prescription yesterday, the GP gave us Melatonin strawberry flavour Oral Liquid which contains E420, E218, E216 and E1520 (they had no directions from the Paed as to what Melatonin to prescribe).

 

I phoned the GP and asked for the tablets which we are used to. When I collected the tablets today from the chemist, the pharmacist said the tablets should NOT be crushed. I told her the Paed consultant told me to crush them and she was very surprised. She said if I do start using the oral liquid now, it will act in a different way to the crushed tablets I've been giving him because they were slow release.

 

Just feeling in limbo, not knowing whether to try DS with the oral liquid (although his drink will obviously taste different so forsee this will be a problem). Also, should I be concerned about the E numbers? Am I doing him any harm by crushing the tablets which are slow release?

 

Any advice appreciated to put me out of misery as this will be on my mind all weekend!

 

Thanks again.

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I don't think you can have done any harm by crushing slow-release tablets. You probably just undermined the slow-release aspect and he got the whole dose at once instead of gradually throughout the night. This wouldn't be harmful if they were 2mg tablets, as this is well within the safe dose.

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I agree with Tally - as far as I'm aware, the only issue with crushing the tables is that they are no longer slow release - they should still work in the same way in terms of helping him fall asleep. I'm surprised your GP gave the liquid as opposed to tablets as it's much more expensive so they tend not to give it without being pushed! Some people prefer the liquid because it is easier to hide in food/drink. We have the capsules at the moment which we just pop open and put the powder in his bedtime juice.

 

Lynne

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hi-i agree with tally and lyndon- my boy is on the slow release melatonin 2mg-i have to crush them . i was told that tho not ideal- it only prevents the slow release from working but wont do any harm. seems to work ok for him anyway .

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About E number, you can look up on the E number index to find out what they are.

I think you will find that most if not all medication will contain "E numbers". Often manufactures will use the actual name of the ingredients and not its E number so as not to worry people.

 

As far as crushing tablets, in general terms, unless it says they can be crushed on the packet then they should not be as it can affect they way they work.

Obviously if a medical practitioner says its all right to do so you can only accept there advice.

Edited by chris54

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We have just been perscribed melatonin for my Lo he has 2mg he is 5.. were where told take 2mg for 2 weeks if it doesnt have effect up it to 4mg. We got the caplets and was told to put them in a drink. Its night two its almost 9pm and he has been asleep for 40mins.. Peace!!! It takes an hr or so to take effect.

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The Paediatric Consultant just phoned me to say she has spoken to 'their' pharmacist (presume at the Children's Development Centre where she is located) and the pharmacist said yes, it is ok to crush the prolonged release tablets.

 

Thanks to you all for your replies.

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