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Use of cetirizine in a 23-month-old male causes insomnia

Melissa C Jones1, Curtis E Jones

  • 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, South University School of Pharmacy, Savannah, Georgia 31406, USA. mjones@southuniversity.edu

Southern Medical Journal
|April 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Cetirizine, a common antihistamine for allergic rhinitis in children, may disrupt sleep patterns. Discontinuing the medication in a young child resolved nighttime awakenings, suggesting a link between cetirizine and sleep disturbances.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Pharmacology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Allergic rhinitis impacts 40% of children, often presenting in adolescence but observable from 6 months.
  • Antihistamines are frequently used for managing pediatric allergic symptoms.
  • A 23-month-old male with chronic otitis media received cetirizine for rhinitis.

Observation:

  • The child experienced progressive, frequent nighttime awakenings after starting cetirizine.
  • These sleep disturbances began several days into the prescribed therapy.

Findings:

  • Discontinuation of cetirizine led to the restoration of the child's normal sleep patterns.
  • This suggests a potential adverse effect of cetirizine on sleep in young children.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider potential sleep disturbances as an adverse effect of cetirizine in pediatric patients.
  • Further research is warranted to investigate the association between antihistamine use and sleep disruption in infants and young children.
  • This case highlights the importance of monitoring sleep in children receiving antihistamine treatment for allergic rhinitis.

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