Daycare children in Canada allegedly were allegedly given melatonin

The police launched an investigation.

In a little Canadian town of Les P'tits Samouraïs, 150 kilometers from Montreal, occurred a possibly unpleasant incident. A childcare worker allegedly gave children drinks with diluted melatonin before bedtime without parental consent.

The local police opened a criminal case, all the circumstances remain to be clarified, but so far we know that the teacher was suspended from work. Soon the daycare management notified parents that she was no longer working there.

To somewhat reassure the parents of 130 children, this was the statement made by the head of the kindergarten, Stephanie Beaudry, at Radio Canada. She could not say much because an investigation is currently underway.

Families Minister Suzanne Roy also participated in that program and she opening an investigation by her ministry.

"This situation is obviously inconceivable. The health and safety of our children is a priority," she said.

What is melatonin? Is it dangerous?

Melatonin is a hormone. It is naturally released at night and tells the body that it is time to sleep. It is easily available at the drugstore without a prescription in the form of pills, drops, and even as marmalade. However, easy access does not mean that it can be used easily. Especially when it comes to children.

The use of melatonin is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not approved for this purpose. Yes, when used properly, it is not even the slightest danger, but it should not be given to children during the day if the child cannot sleep.

"It's not the recommended first line of defense if a child has trouble sleeping," said Michaël Tourigny.

What do the doctors say?

The use of any specialized medicine that affects a child must always be discussed with your doctor. According to some studies, short-term melantonin use is safe. But less is known about long-term use of melatonin.

For example, there are concerns how it might affect a child's growth and development, especially during puberty.