Melatonin treatment of sleep disorders in disabled children
Ramstad, K.; Loge, J.H.åv.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 122(10): 1009-1011
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 12082692 Document Number: 545244
There is a high prevalence of chronic sleep-wake cycle disorders in developmentally and neurologically disabled children. Such disorders are often resistant to hypnotic and psychotropic drugs. Administration of exogenous melatonin can have an effect upon the circadian rhythm and establish a normal sleep-wake cycle. Medline, Premedline and EBM Reviews were searched for articles on melatonin treatment of sleep-wake cycle disorders in children. Additionally, sleep was registered systematically in 15 developmentally or neurologically disabled children treated with melatonin. The search identified 75 articles of which 33 included neurologically or developmentally disabled children. Reported results generally indicate that melatonin improves sleep-wake cycle disorders in these children. However, the majority of studies were open, and knowledge about side effects and long-term effects is limited. Our own experience is in accordance with the literature; melatonin had positive effects in 13 children. Suggestions for practical use of melatonin in disabled children are presented.