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Combination Therapy With Risperidone and High-Dose Melatonin Is Effective Despite Reversible Side Effects Including
1Pediatrics, Child and Parents Support Clinic, Ebina, JPN.
Cureus
|December 30, 2024
Summary
High-dose melatonin, used for sleep disorders, may cause reversible breast budding in children. Clinicians should monitor for this side effect and adjust melatonin dosage as needed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Melatonin is widely prescribed for sleep disorders.
- Melatonin is known to elevate prolactin levels.
- Breast budding is not a recognized side effect of melatonin treatment.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old boy with restlessness and sleep disorders was treated with risperidone and melatonin.
- The patient developed breast budding after one month of high-dose melatonin (4 mg/day).
- Symptoms resolved after discontinuing melatonin.
Findings:
- High-dose melatonin administration, in conjunction with risperidone, may induce breast budding in pediatric patients.
- The observed breast budding was reversible upon melatonin discontinuation.
- Melatonin treatment improved daytime concentration but not complete resolution of nighttime awakenings.
Implications:
- Clinicians should be aware of the potential for melatonin-induced breast budding in children.
- Careful dosage adjustment and monitoring are recommended when prescribing melatonin for pediatric sleep and behavioral issues.
- This case highlights the importance of considering medication side effects even when they are not commonly reported.
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