title: Melatonin treatment for sleep disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: an observational study.
abstract: The study aim was to quantify melatonin-associated improvement in sleep by means of a parent-completed sleep diary during routine outpatient activity. An investigation into sleep disturbance was made at neurology outpatient appointments. Those parents who identified a problem were asked to complete a sleep diary, after which treatment was initiated. The first week of the diary was completed before treatment, the second when established on the maximum dose of melatonin required. Forty-nine patients (26 males, 23 females) aged from one to 13 years, were treated between 1997 and 1998: 28 of these returned interpretable diaries. In a further 18 patients, an assessment could be made of the usefulness of the treatment. Patients were fairly typical of those attending a tertiary centre, the most common primary diagnosis being epilepsy (n=26). Only seven patients were visually impaired. Of the 46 patients who were assessed, 34 showed an improvement. No adverse effects were attributed to the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust, UK. caroline.ross@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010045:Outpatients; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin