Sleep disorders remain prevalent in children despite medical advances in prevention and treatment. If left untreated, sleep problems have a negative effect on kids' health. Prescription medications help manage these problems, but hypnotic drugs have an adverse effect on growing children. Over-the-counter supplements like melatonin may eventually provide an alternative approach. This natural hormone appears effective and safe, but parents should speak with a doctor before giving it to their kids.
Autistic Children
Autism affects about 1 percent of children, according to a 2009 survey in the "International Journal of Epidemiology." Such kids encounter a broad range of physical and mental obstacles, including sleep difficulties. A 2011 report in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders" looked at the effects of melatonin on sleep. Autistic children were tested during separate three-month periods. They received melatonin for one period and placebo for the other. The supplement decreased the time taken to fall asleep and increased the time spent asleep. The children experienced similar side effects while receiving melatonin and placebo. Testing caused only mild reactions, but the long-term impact of melatonin remains unstudied in this patient population.
Epileptic Children
Epilepsy poses difficulties for children as well. Kids who experienced seizures have three times greater risk of death, according to a 2010 survey in the "New England Journal of Medicine." People with sleep disorders also have a reduced longevity. The high prevalence of sleep disorders in epileptic children does not bode well. Melatonin may help. A 2011 article in "Journal of Pineal Research" tested the supplement's effects on sleep quality. Epileptic children received melatonin for three months. Relative to baseline, the hormone improved sleep efficiency and reduced seizure activity. Yet, only a few subjects were tested in this study. Scientists should collect more data before recommending melatonin for epilepsy.
ADHD Children
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, often appears concurrently with epilepsy. This condition affects about 9 percent of the pediatric population, according to a 2010 survey in "MMWR." Being overactive, ADHD kids usually experience insomnia during nighttime hours. A 2007 experiment described in "Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry" evaluated melatonin's usefulness in ADHD. Children received nightly doses of either the hormone or a placebo for four weeks. Melatonin advanced sleep onset so that the kids fell asleep earlier, and they slept longer. It also shifted their biological rhythms to an earlier time. No untoward reactions were observed in this study, but long-term effects of melatonin in ADHD children remain unknown.
Healthy Children
Healthy children also experience sleep disorders. The biological rhythms of younger people often "free run," causing them to sleep later each night. Endogenous melatonin helps keep these rhythms aligned, and taking exogenous melatonin may help them realign. A 2006 article in "Clinical Pediatrics" assessed the hormone's impact on daily rhythms. The authors gave kids melatonin nightly for six months. Relative to baseline, subjects went to bed earlier and had a longer sleep duration. These changes improved their schoolwork. The children did not report any negative reactions to the supplement, but only a small number of subjects were tested. Additional studies remain necessary before doctors can recommend melatonin for pediatric sleep disorders.
References
- "International Journal of Epidemiology"; Autism Spectrum Disorders in Young Children; Natasha Nassar, et al.; October 2009
- "International Journal of Epidemiology"; Melatonin Versus Placebo in Children With Autism Spectrum Conditions and Severe Sleep Problems Not Amenable to Behaviour Management Strategies; Barry Wright, et al.; February 2011
- "Journal of Pineal Research"; Normalization of the Sleep-Wake Pattern and Melatonin and 6-Sulphatoxy-Melatonin Levels After a Therapeutic Trial With Melatonin in Children With Severe Epilepsy; J. Uberos, et al.; March 2011
- "MMWR"; Increasing Prevalence of Parent-Reported Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among Children -- United States, 2003 and 2007; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Nov. 12, 2010
- "Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry"; Effect of Melatonin on Sleep, Behavior, and Cognition in ADHD and Chronic Sleep-Onset Insomnia; Kristiaan B. van der Heijden, et al.; February 2007
- "Clinical Pediatrics"; Melatonin Treatment in Adolescents With Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome; Amir Szeinberg, et al.; November 2006
