As Predicted Sleeping Brownies Health Risk to Children

Those brownies that hit just about every media news outlet with claims of a natural way to achieve sleep, providing you are an adult. Lazy Cakes had made the news of the all natural product as listed on their site. The site did state that these brownies are not for children.

This brings us to the old adage children will be children especially where snacks are handy and accessible. As known by many parents children can manage to access just about anything even if you believe the product is safely stored or turn your back for one second and even tell the little person do not touch.

Now two towns in Massachusetts are wishing to ban these snack cakes. This comes after reports of these brownies making children ill. It had been reported a two year old boy in Arizona, was hospitalized after just a few nibbles of a relatives brownie. The child had fallen into a deep sleep.

These brownies contain melatonin which is used for sleep. It is a brain hormone which controls the bodies sleep and wake cycle. Melatonin is basically safe for adults but not for children if too much is consumed. Lazy cakes are noted to contain 0.8 milligrams of melatonin and numerous health experts agree the child dosage is around only 0.3milligrams.

The towns of Fall River and New Bedford wish to impose a ban on sales of this brownie. The reasoning they are stating is due to the products packing which shows a cartoon character brownie on the package. As we all are aware cartoon characters easily appeal to children. The Memphis manufacture of Lazy Cakes, Baked World/HBB does stress the fact the label does state for adults only. In bold yellow letter set against a purple is the statement "LAZY CAKES ARE RECOMMENDED FOR ADULTS ONLY!"

Dr. Steven Lipshultz, executive dean for children's health at University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine stated that most melatonin overdoses are not inevitably life-threatening however; they are linked with deep sleep along with nausea, gastrointestinal problems, mood changes and other effects.

According to the American Poison Control Center, children consuming too much melatonin is a documented issue. When it comes to calls on children, melatonin accounts for most of the calls than other herbs or supplements.

Melatonin also has made its way into can drinks. These drink products are marked as "relaxation drinks" with names such as "Unwind Vacation in a Bottle". The marketing is geared towards those individuals who need to take the edge off from a stressful day. These drinks also contain the supplements of valerian root and rose hips. Keep in mind not all the relaxation drinks on the market contain melatonin.

A lot of these companies market these products as choice option instead of medicine or alternative medicine.

Numerous experts tend to believe the reasoning behind this ever growing market is in part due to young people are using them to offset the effects of other energy drinks such as Red Bull among others which is consumed in high amounts.

Teenagers and children alike feel the jitters afterwards so they turn to relaxation drinks to get rid of that jittery feeling.

Melatonin to date has not been granted FDA approval as a food additive.

As previously noted by numerous media news sources these brownies just look too much like a regular brownie children normally consume.

Since they are per say a supplement anyone can purchase these products.

In the Detroit are you can find them at party stores, 7-Elevens and many other convenience stores.

In the May 2011 issue of Brimingham Bloomfield Community Coalition Newsletter, a Parent Alert is posted on Lazy Cakes. This alert my viewed online at their site. Sources:

ABC News

The Atlantic Wire