Parental Experiences of Melatonin Administration to Manage Sleep Disturbances in Autistic Children and Adolescent in the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autistic children and adolescents are 40-80% more likely to experience sleep disturbances than their neurotypical peers. In the United Kingdom, melatonin is licensed for short-term usage in adults at age 55 years and above; however, it is often prescribed to autistic children and adolescents to help manage their sleep. The current study sought to understand parental experiences and their motivation of using melatonin to manage sleep disturbances of their autistic children.

Methods

The sample included 26 parents who took part in online focus groups answering questions regarding their experiences of using melatonin as a sleep treatment for their children diagnosed with autism between 4 and 18 years old.

Results

Four main themes were identified: (i) parental p

SUBMITTER: Horsnell J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10298472 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature