Maiden Choice School, in Baltimore, describes itself as “a public separate day school that provides programs for children from age 3 to 21 who have significant cognitive disabilities.”
A lawsuit describes it as the place where a teacher gave kids melatonin, resulting in a slate of outcomes that are extreme and disturbing. At this time, if there are any toxicology reports, they have not been made public, and melatonin is the only substance apparently alleged.
However, if the allegations are proven in court, they paint a frightening picture.
The Claims In The Lawsuit
According to Law & Crime, the lawsuit is being brought by a mom, Tiffany Council, who claims that her 12-year-old nonverbal autistic son was part of a class that was routinely fed melatonin without parental permission.
She asserts that melatonin was administered daily for at least two months and that, at times, the whole class would be found sleeping. She also asserts that her son is suffering serious side effects from the medication.
“[The boy] suffered severe blood loss through bloody noses, blood in his mouth, and frequent blood clotting requiring medical attention, and has shown a lack of motor functioning, uncontrolled emotions, including anger and confusion, and has developed a form of insomnia,” the complaint alleges, noting how the mother’s child is now “unable to regulate his own sleep schedule” as a direct result.”
To those who use melatonin regularly for their own kids, or for themselves, these allegations will sound a little extreme. They certainly aren’t the expected effects of the supplement. However, there are potential interactions with other medications, and no supplement should be given to any child without parental knowledge.
How Did The Information Surface?
Since the school is not offering public comment while the lawsuit is ongoing, Council’s lawsuit is the primary source of information on the course of events.
According to her, Principal Kathryn Wess and an assistant principal thought something was off after noticing the entire class asleep at the same time multiple times over the course of six weeks. Then, a staff member reportedly came forward, confirming that children were being given melatonin and that the child in question was one of the ones being dosed.
The allegation is that the teacher, Xenia Murchison, and/or her classroom aides were dosing the kids daily. The school has said Murchison is no longer an employee, but according to The Banner, this wasn’t as clear-cut in communications to Council.
“Council said she heard that Murchison was placed on administrative leave, according to court documents, and that the incident was under investigation. But she said that school administrators didn’t say who was responsible for administering the melatonin to her son.”
Could Melatonin Cause These Serious Effects?
The side effects named in the lawsuit are raising red flags for some, especially those familiar with the supplement.
After all, it’s known to be pretty mild. Many parents have even been advised by their pediatricians to use it on much younger children than Council’s son. Normally, it’s not even considered to ’cause’ sleepiness, at least not in the way that a sedative or even an antihistamine can.
Instead, melatonin is a hormone that the Mayo Clinic describes as “generally safe,” and for short-term use, noting that most people’s bodies typically produce enough on their own, but that supplements can help with conditions like jet lag, delayed sleep phase, insomnia, and, yes, for sleep disorders in children.
That said, it can produce daytime drowsiness, as well as headache, dizziness, and nausea, and in rarer cases, even depression, anxiety, confusion, and irritation.
Moreover, the Mayo Clinic lists medications with which melatonin can have serious interactions. For instance, it can reduce the effectiveness of anti-seizure medications, anti-convulsants, and immunosuppressants.
Most relevant to this case, melatonin is noted as having potential serious interactions with anticoagulants and antiplatelet substances:
“Anticoagulants and anti-platelet drugs, herbs and supplements. These types of drugs, herbs and supplements reduce blood clotting. Combining use of melatonin with them might increase the risk of bleeding.”
How This Relates To Council’s Allegations
While nosebleeds aren’t a standard side effect of melatonin, we don’t know whether her son (or any other kids) was taking any of the medications on the list that can interact unsafely with it.
This is central to one of the primary reasons children should not be given medications or supplements without parental approval. The lawsuit alleges that parents had no opportunity to determine whether their individual children could take the supplement safely, or whether they were at elevated risk for side effects.
Notably, the school system agrees that handing out supplements is not the role of teachers. In court documents, their attorneys have reportedly said that only school nurses or properly trained staff are allowed to medicate kids, and that if the teacher did so, neither Principal Wess nor the school is liable for her actions.
Council’s lawyers take a different position, arguing that no action was taken by the principal or the school regarding the earlier suspicions, including contacting the parents.
