Melatonin in relapsed sleeplessness in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The use of melatonin in relapsed sleeplessness in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
IRAS ID
184230
Contact name
Anne O'Hare
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 0 days
Research summary
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often experience sleep problems which effect their daytime learning and behaviour and increase their family’s stress. The body’s natural production of melatonin, the substance which responds to light and dark and drives the body’s sleep-wake cycles, is impaired in ASD. Melatonin is therefore commonly prescribed for this sleeplessness and is an effective and safe treatment used in addition to behavioural methods.
Melatonin is first prescribed in a standard way, but around one third of children who start treatment with melatonin subsequently need a change in their prescription usually because their sleeplessness has only partially responded or has come back. This is treated by changing the dose or form of melatonin, but the best way to do this is unclear.
In this study, a clinical survey of this melatonin prescribing, will first be conducted with Community Child Health medical staff to establish present practice.
The second part of the study will be a review of medical and pharmaceutical records of children with ASD treated for relapsed sleeplessness to examine the actual pattern of prescribing of melatonin in terms of form used, dosage and timing.
Thirdly, a sleep survey for these children will be conducted by asking their parents about the effect on their child’s sleep using a standardised questionnaire and a sleep diary over 1 week.
The results of this study will inform on how melatonin is being prescribed by clinicians in NHS Lothian and how effective this prescribing practice is in treating sleeplessness in children with ASD.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
15/ES/0139
Date of REC Opinion
26 Aug 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion