In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how melatonin supplements affect children’s sleep and development, and why putting all drugs in gummies is a bad idea. We talk about early childhood caries, why it’s linked to prolonged breastfeeding, and why this may have a more negative effect in today’s society. We then talk mattresses – what they are, why they are used, and why we might want to consider other alternatives. Finally, we talk about co-sleeping bed attachments – what they aim to do, and why they may influence child and mother sleep in different ways to closer co-sleeping practices..

For more information on how mattresses affect child health, see this article:

Topics covered

* How do melatonin supplements affect a child’s development?

* Why does breastfeeding older children at night increase their risk of dental disease?

* What’s the deal with mattresses and health?

* Do co-sleepers give the same sleep-synchronising benefits of co-sleeping?

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Notes

“Exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months is associated with reduced ECC risk, while prolonged and nocturnal feeding after eruption of primary teeth elevates risk.” https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/102

“Our data suggest that the consumption of an HFCS-sweetened beverage increased breast milk fructose concentrations, which remained elevated up to five hours post-consumption.” https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/6/669

https://www.colorado.edu/today/2023/11/13/melatonin-use-soars-among-children-unknown-risks

“Due to a number of concerns regarding inappropriate use, lack of efficacy and safety data across pediatric populations and variability in actual content, melatonin should be used with caution in children and only under medical supervision.” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-025-00896-5

“These findings suggest a global rise in prescriptions without efficacy data on use in children with typical development, underscoring the need to identify strategies to prevent and reduce melatonin use in young children, as well as to improve adherence by pediatricians to evidence-based practice standards.” https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2843284

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