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Daycare Under Scrutiny After Allegations of Unauthorized Melatonin Use
Daycare Melatonin Concerns: A Maine mother, Laura Putnam, voiced alarm upon learning her young sons may have been given melatonin supplements at Apple Blossom Childcare without her parental consent. Putnam maintains she never approved the administration of the sleep aid to her children, raising questions about daycare medication policies and prompting a state investigation into potential child neglect at the Falmouth center.
Parent’s Discovery Sparks Investigation
Putnam enrolled her sons at Apple Blossom Childcare in Falmouth, Maine, when they were toddlers, ages 1 and 2. She affirmed that she has never administered melatonin to them and has not authorized anyone else to provide the supplement, which mimics a natural hormone that promotes sleep.
In August, Putnam recounted learning from a former employee of the daycare that staff members, including the former employee himself, had dispensed melatonin gummies to children, including her then 4-year-old son. She stated she reviewed text messages between the former employee and the daycare owner discussing melatonin usage.
Putnam inquired with her older son. “He said, ‘Oh, it makes the babies go’ — and then he imitated snoring,” she recalled. “He indicated he received them when he was younger and they made him very tired. When I asked if his younger brother also received them, he responded affirmatively. And I questioned, ‘How often does he get them?’ and he replied, ‘Every day.’”
Putnam showed her younger son a picture of melatonin gummies. “He immediately recognized it and said, ‘That’s’ — and then he named the daycare provider,” she described.
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Another Parent Expresses Similar Concerns
Lindsay Corcoran stated her daughter also attended Apple Blossom from 15 months old until nearly age 4. She reported learning from text messages between the former employee and the owner that her daughter was also given melatonin. “I was shocked to discover her name and that this substance was administered to her without my permission,” she expressed.
Growing National Concern Over Melatonin Use in Childcare
Numerous parents, physicians, and lawmakers across the nation are expressing apprehension, asserting that giving melatonin to young children lacks sufficient research and should not occur without parental agreement. Last year, childcare staff in New Hampshire and Washington garnered headlines for distributing melatonin to children. In Indiana, a daycare director received a six-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to providing melatonin gummies to children without parental consent.
Maine Authorities Investigate Daycare
In Maine, while it is not legally prohibited for daycare facilities to administer melatonin or other over-the-counter medications to children, parental consent is mandated. Following a complaint in August, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) initiated an investigation into allegations of abuse, neglect, and licensing infractions at Apple Blossom Childcare. Four months later, Putnam stated the agency informed her via letter that her older son was deemed “a victim of abuse/neglect.”
“I think I felt that, you know, I failed my children,” Putnam admitted. “For any parent, their primary responsibility is to safeguard their children above all else. Receiving that letter stating my son was officially documented as a victim of abuse/neglect made me feel like I had let him down.”
Findings Overturned, Owner Appeals Licensing Violations
Apple Blossom’s owner, Alison Lakin, appealed the December findings. Last month, DHHS rescinded its abuse and neglect findings, stating “there is insufficient information in the case record to support” them.
Lakin conveyed to NBC News, in part, “Apple Blossom Childcare has cultivated and maintained an exceptional reputation for years, founded and sustained by conscientious care and a dedication to nurturing children’s unique potential.”
Lakin is also contesting the findings of daycare licensing rule violations.
Parent Expresses Frustration with Reversed Decision
Putnam conveyed her frustration with the reversal: “How is administering melatonin to a nonverbal toddler in the middle of the day without parental consent not considered abuse or neglect? It is incomprehensible to me.”
Experts Highlight Rising Melatonin Use and Safety Concerns
Researchers indicate melatonin usage in children is increasing. Poison control center calls related to excessive melatonin intake in children have also consistently risen over the past decade, according to a 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While low doses of melatonin supplements might be safely administered to older children, Dr. Rebecca Fisk, a pediatrician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, advises against melatonin use for children under 5.
“We are introducing an unknown substance into a toddler’s system,” Dr. Fisk cautioned. “Long-term studies on the effects of melatonin on young children, especially at that age, are lacking. We do not know the implications for their growth and development.”
Proposed Legislation Seeks to Enhance Daycare Transparency
Maine State Senator Teresa Pierce is introducing legislation that would mandate daycare operators to inform parents if their centers are under investigation.
“We must protect children, and parents deserve to be informed,” stated Pierce, a Democrat. “My bill aims to enhance transparency when an investigation commences at a daycare or childcare facility, ensuring parents utilizing that daycare are aware of the ongoing investigation.”
Call for Stiffer Penalties
Putnam is advocating for stronger consequences.
“I would like to see repercussions for mistreating children, and I do not believe that has occurred in my situation,” she concluded.