The Effects of Melatonin Treatment on Chronic Insomnia in ۱–۳-Year-Old Children Undergoing Behavior Therapy

Background: Melatonin is effective as a treatment option for sleep disorders in children. Parents can develop positive sleep habits in children through behavior therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of melatonin on children undergoing behavioral therapy. Method: The present study was performed on ۶۰ children (۱–۳-year-old, male and female). Thirty children were randomly selected as the treatment group, treated with melatonin. All of the participants in both treatment and control groups and their parents were taught how to observe sleep hygiene and behavior therapy through a graduated extinction method. The Pediatric Sleep Clinic Questionnaire Background Information (for ۱–۳-year-old children) was used in this research. Parents in both groups were educated on sleep hygiene and behavioral therapy. The data was analyzed through paired t-test and chi-square (p < ۰.۰۵) using SPSS ۱۸ software program. Result: Mean ± SD (standard deviation) of age was ۲۷.۳۳ ± ۸.۹۹ months in the behavior therapy/melatonin-treated group, while it was ۲۳.۱۰ ± ۱۰.۷۶ months in the behavior therapy/non-melatonin-treated group. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding breastfeeding (p <۰.۰۵). Moreover, significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the average number of waking ups during the night, the length of wakefulness of a child at night (in minutes), the time of waking up in the morning, the average sleep time at night (in hours), and the relationship between sleeping in parents’ bed and parents staying in the child’s room after the lights were switched off (p <۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The quality of night sleep in the melatonin-treated group was better than that in the group that did not receive melatonin. Therefore, proper medical treatment along with psychological and behavioral therapies can be helpful for treating sleep disorders

Keywords:

Melatonin , insomnia , Children , Behavioral therapy