Autism is a general term used to describe a related group of neural development and social communication disorders known collectively as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Children with ASD commonly have sleep problems related to unusually low levels of a hormone called melatonin. Use of supplemental melatonin can offset these problems and improve sleep quality in several ways.
ASD Basics
Forms of ASD include autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, also known as PDD-NOS. Autistic disorder most closely fits the popular perception of autism and is the most serious type of ASD. Roughly 89 percent of children with ASD have problems with some aspect of sleep, according to a study published in 2009 in the "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine." The overall rate for sleep disturbances in preschool and school-aged children is roughly 25 percent.
Melatonin Basics
Your body produces melatonin in the pineal gland, which is located in your brain. In addition to helping in the regulation of other hormones, melatonin plays a vital role in establishing your circadian rhythm, an internalized "clock" that you rely on to help determine when to sleep and when to wake. You produce the majority of your melatonin supply at night. Young children normally produce more nighttime melatonin than any other age group, but children with ASD don't produce as much of the hormone as other children.
Findings
The study in the "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine" concluded that children of all ages with ASD experience significant sleep improvements when they receive nonprescription doses of melatonin. Aspects of sleep improved by melatonin include overall sleep duration, the time it takes to transition from full wakefulness to sleepiness and the time it takes to get to sleep. In 2010, members of the Montana Autism Education Project conducted a review of 35 separate studies on the relationship between ASD and melatonin. They concluded that melatonin improves sleep patterns while producing minimal side effects, in addition to improving the daytime behavior of children with ASD.
Considerations
People with ASD appear to have a genetic alteration that limits their ability to produce melatonin, according to a study published in 2007 in "Molecular Psychiatry." In people who have not yet manifested ASD symptoms, this alteration presents a risk factor for the onset of ASD. Consult your doctor before you give melatonin to your child. While doses of less than 0.3 mg per day are probably safe, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes that doses above this level may cause problems in children younger than 15. Doses in the range of 1 to 5 mg per day can produce seizures in children this age.
References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Autism Fact Sheet
- "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine"; The Efficacy of Melatonin for Sleep Problems in Children With Autism...; Wirojanan, Jacquemont, et al.; April 15, 2009
- Disabled World: Melatonin for Sleep Problems in Chilren With Autism
- Montana Autism Education Project: Melatonin in Autism Spectrum Disorders; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Melatonin
- "Molecular Psychiatry"; Abnormal Melatonin Synthesis in Autism Spectrum Disorders; May 15, 2007
