title: [Treatment of insomnia in children: pharmacological aspects].
abstract: In the last few years topics related to sleep in children have aroused increased interest. Most hypnotic drugs and sedatives used to treat adult insomnia are not recommended in children. Even so, 56% of pediatricians use medication to treat childhood sleep disorders. We review the different causes of insomnia in children from birth to school age. The various therapeutic options are discussed and the therapeutic methods that have been demonstrated to be most effective in the various types of insomnia. The most frequent hypnotic drugs used in insomnia treatment are benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics such as imidazopyridine, pyrazolopyrimidine and cyclopyrrolone. Few studies have been published on the use of melatonin in insomnia although several reports suggest that is useful and relatively safe in the treatment of insomnia in school-aged children. In children with insomnia, pediatricians should first of all obtain information about the characteristics of insomnia and the environmental characteristics surrounding the child and his/her family. Once an organic cause has been ruled out, treatment should be based on informing the parents about sleep physiology and on training them in sleep hygiene and the acquisition of sleep habits. When pharmacological treatment is required, it should be carefully selected using the smallest effective doses. Melatonin seems to have a promising future in insomnia treatment in healthy children and in those with neurological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Sueño, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, España. mariannf@eresmas.com
authors.forename: Ma A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Idiazábal Alecha
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Estivill Sancho
mesh_terms: D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D001569:Benzodiazepines
vernacular_title: Tratamiento del insomnio en niños: aspectos farmacológicos.