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Sleep disorders in children

Paul Montgomery1, Danielle Dunne

  • 1University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

BMJ Clinical Evidence
|May 20, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This review examines treatments for childhood sleep disorders, including dyssomnias and parasomnias. It evaluates interventions like behavioral therapy, melatonin, and sleep hygiene for effectiveness and safety.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Clinical Evidence Synthesis

Background:

  • Sleep disorders affect 20-30% of young children, encompassing issues like excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty sleeping (dyssomnias), and sleep disturbances (parasomnias) such as sleepwalking.
  • Children with physical or learning disabilities face a higher risk of developing sleep disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the effects of treatments for dyssomnias in children.
  • To systematically review the effects of treatments for parasomnias in children.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review was conducted, searching major databases up to September 2006.
  • Included studies were 14 systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or observational studies.
  • GRADE evaluation was used to assess the quality of evidence for interventions.

Main Results:

  • The review identified and evaluated various interventions for childhood sleep disorders.
  • Evidence quality for different treatments was assessed using the GRADE system.

Conclusions:

  • Information on the effectiveness and safety of interventions including antihistamines, behavioral therapy, melatonin, and sleep hygiene is presented.
  • Specific interventions evaluated include scheduled waking for parasomnias and safety measures.
Abstract

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