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Published on: November 15, 2013
[Not Available]
Claire Chevreuil1, Elisabeth Polard2, Gaëlle Gicquel1
1Service de Psychiatrie Infanto-Juvénile, CH Guillaume Régnier, Rennes, France.
Insights
Sleep disturbances are common in children with psychiatric disorders, with limited medication options. Melatonin is increasingly studied for childhood insomnia due to improved formulations and properties.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Sleep Medicine
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Sleep disturbances are prevalent in pediatric psychiatric populations.
- Limited pharmacological options exist for childhood insomnia.
- Antihistaminic H1 agents are the only approved treatments for childhood insomnia.
Purpose:
- To review the current landscape of hypnotic medications for children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders.
- To highlight the growing research and clinical interest in melatonin for pediatric insomnia.
- To discuss the considerations for pharmacological treatment in specific child psychiatric conditions.
Summary:
- Few studies have investigated adult hypnotics like zopiclone, zolpidem, and benzodiazepines in children.
- Melatonin, particularly sustained-release formulations, is emerging as a key focus due to enhanced pharmacokinetic properties and drug status.
- Pharmacological interventions for insomnia are considered in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and anxiety/depression.
Impact:
- Informs clinical practice regarding the limited and emerging options for treating sleep disturbances in pediatric psychiatric patients.
- Highlights the need for further research into the efficacy and safety of various hypnotics in child psychiatry.
- Provides a foundation for understanding the role of melatonin as a potential therapeutic agent for insomnia in this population.
Abstract:
Sleep disturbances are frequent in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders nevertheless there are few drugs available to treat them. Only certain antihistaminic H1 have the marketing authorization for treatment of childhood insomnia. Very few studies have been made in children about the hypnotics that are most widely used in adult patients: zopiclone, zolpidem and the hypnotic benzodiazepines. However, melatonin has recently become the most studied hypnotic drug in children since the marketing of a sustained-released form gave it the status of a drug and improved its pharmacokinetic properties. In child psychiatry, pharmacological treatment of insomnia should be considered in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in which sleep disturbances can be aggravated by psycho stimulant treatment, in autism spectrum disorders, and in the anxiety/depression.
