Rational pharmacotherapy for childhood sleep disturbances: Characteristics of an ideal hypnotic

No widely accepted, optimal intervention is currently available for sleep disturbances in pediatric patients. This paper reviews data establishing the need for an effective, tolerated treatment and sets forth characteristics and applications of the ideal therapeutic approach. These points are considered with the aim of stimulating thought and furthering research to improve therapy for childhood sleep disturbances. The ideal pediatric hypnotic therapy, as described in this paper, has not been identified to date. No currently available agent has been subjected to a systematic program of well-controlled studies to determine its suitability as pharmacotherapy for childhood sleep disturbances. It is possible that a new medication will be needed to fulfill the special requirements of children, but it is equally possible that a currently available agent, perhaps one used in adults with insomnia, will prove to be ideal.