SLEEP ALL NIGHT

 Children with sleep problems are likely to be prescribed a sleeping pill or other medication approved only for adults, according to a new study.

• Study conducted by sleep researchers from Ohio State University and University of Missouri evaluated 18.6 million children’s doctor visits for sleep problems
• They found that 81% of visits included a prescription for a sleep medication
• The study appears in the Aug. 1, 2007 issue of the journal Sleep
• The following analysis by sleep experts concluded that while sleep medication may sometimes help children with sleep problems, they suggest medication is best to be used in combination with other approaches, such as behavioral therapy.

Prescription Patterns for Children With Sleeping Problems

Researchers evaluated information from a large database, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, from 1993 to 2004, and find out what doctors prescribed or advised when young patients came in for help with sleep problems.

Children were aged 17 and under, all experiencing sleep difficulties such as insomnia. Most visits were by children ages 6 to 12. Pediatricians, psychiatrists, family practice doctors, and others saw the patients.

Among the medications prescribed were sleeping pills such as Ambien and Sonata as well as other medications sometimes prescribed to help sleep problems, such as the antihistamine Atarax, the antidepressant Desyrel, and the high blood pressure medicine Catapres.