title: Narcolepsy in children.
abstract: Core symptoms of narcolepsy are similar in children compared with adults, but expression may be different due to more severe manifestations, maturational factors, and the significant impact of symptoms on behavior and academic performance. Diagnosis of narcolepsy in children is often challenging and requires a detailed history followed by polysomnography and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test. Management involves a comprehensive approach, including patient and family education and emotional support; behavioral strategies, such as good sleep hygiene and planned naps; and pharmacologic intervention. Despite dramatic progress recently in understanding the etiology of human narcolepsy through molecular genetic investigations, the disorder remains a chronic and often disabling disease with major impact on the lives of children and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants