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At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Randomized controlled trial of melatonin for children with autistic spectrum disorders and sleep problems.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin is often used for autistic children with sleep disorders, despite a lack of published evidence in this population. METHODS: A randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind crossover trial of melatonin was undertaken in 11 children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). RESULTS: Seven children completed the trial. Sleep latency was 2.6 h [95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.28-2.93] baseline, 1.91 h (95% CI 1.78-2.03) with placebo and 1.06 h (95% CI 0.98-1.13) with melatonin. Wakings per night were 0.35 (95% CI 0.18-0.53) baseline, 0.26 (95% CI 0.20-0.34) with placebo and 0.08 (95% CI 0.04-0.12) with melatonin. Total sleep duration was 8.05 h (95% CI 7.65-8.44) baseline, 8.75 h (95% CI 8.56-8.98) with placebo and 9.84 h (95% CI 9.68-9.99) with melatonin. CONCLUSIONS: Although the study was small owing to recruitment difficulties, it still provides evidence of effectiveness of melatonin in children with sleep difficulties and ASD, which we predict a larger study would confirm.

Adolescent↗

[Sleep problems explainable by elements of cybernetic culture].

A study of sleep in the light of Pavlovian conditioned reflexes is proposed. Sleep and its disturbances would appear to reflect different cell metabolic biorhythms, coinciding with intracellular states interdependent of extracellular chemical and physical values and strictly determined by reflexological factors. Reference is made to a personal paper ("Metodica psicoterapica su elementi di cultura cibernetica") for the view that the DNA memorising function, which is responsible for conditioned reflex patterns, genetic metabolism and new valid or non-valid metabolic equilibria via the synapses, could, by conditioning, lead to normal, eurhythmic sleep in terms of the subject's own pattern or that of the statistical mean of the population to which he belongs. Reharmonisation of subjectively disturbed sleep rhythms by new hetero- or autoinduced conditioning is suggested.

Autogenic Training↗

Sleep problems in the community elderly as predictors of death and nursing home placement.

In 1984-85, 1855 elderly residents of an urban community responded to a comprehensive baseline interview that included questions regarding an extensive set of sleep characteristics and problems. During the subsequent 3 1/2 years of follow-up, 16.7% of the respondents died and 3.5% were placed in nursing homes. The predictive significance of each sleep characteristic for mortality and for nursing home placement was determined separately for males and females, using Cox proportional hazards models. Selected demographic and psychosocial variables were also entered into the models. Age, problems with activities of daily living (ADL), self-assessed health, income, cognitive impairment, depression and whether respondents were living alone were controlled for statistically. Of the many variables analyzed, in males insomnia was the strongest predictor of both mortality and nursing home placement. For mortality, the relative hazard associated with insomnia exceeded the hazards associated with age, ADL problems, fair-poor health and low income. For nursing home placement, the hazard associated with insomnia exceeded that associated with cognitive impairment. The relationships of insomnia to mortality and nursing home placement were U-shaped, with a worse outcome if insomnia complaints over the preceding 2 weeks were either prominent (numerous or frequent) or absent. For females, insomnia was a borderline predictor of mortality and did not predict nursing home placement at all. Symptoms of the restless legs syndrome predicted mortality for females in some Cox regression models. Reported sleep duration, symptoms of sleep apnea and frequent use of hypnotic drugs did not predict mortality or nursing home placement in either sex.

Aged↗

Parental report of sleep problems in children with autism.

This research evaluated parent reports of sleep behaviors of four groups of children: those with Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorders, those with General Mental Retardation alone, those attending Special Education classes (with no MR diagnosis), and a control group of similar aged children without a developmental diagnosis. Diagnostic classification and demographic information were determined through parent report, report of classroom registration, and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (Gilliam, 1995). To evaluate sleeping behavior the study used a 28-item, five-factor scale (Behavioral Evaluation of Disorders of Sleep/BEDS; Schreck, 1997/1998) constructed from the diagnostic criteria for childhood sleep disorders found in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders: Diagnostic and Coding Manual (ICSD, American Sleep Disorders Association, 1990). Findings suggest that reports of parents with children with autistic characteristics exhibit expected quantities of sleep, but parent perception of their sleep difficulties and sleep quality is different for children with autism than for children in all other study groups.

Autistic Disorder↗

Sleep problems in Chinese elderly in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: To examine the sleep habits and one-year prevalence of sleep disturbance (difficulty in falling asleep, broken sleep and early morning wakening) as well as insomnia (subjectively inadequate or poor sleep) in an elderly Chinese population in Hong Kong. METHOD: In Phase 1, a representative sample of elderly aged 70 years or above were interviewed with a sleep questionnaire, and Cantonese versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale(CGDS). In Phase 2, those with scores suggestive of cognitive impairment on CMMSE or depression on CGDS were interviewed by psychiatrists for making clinical diagnoses according to DSM IV. RESULTS: 1,034 elderly were interviewed in Phase 1. Occasional or persistent sleep disturbance were reported by 75% and insomnia in 38.2% of elderly. Slightly less than half of elderly with sleep disturbance complained of insomnia. Advancing age was associated with a higher rate of sleep disturbance while females had a higher rate of insomnia. Factors associated with sleep disturbance and insomnia included poor perceived health, past history of smoking, current depressive disorders, more chronic physical illness, more life events and more somatic complaints. Only 2.8% of the sample had taken sleeping pills within a one-year period. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbance and insomnia are two separate but overlapping constructs and should be differentiated. Sleep disturbance is very common in the elderly and may be due to physiological changes with ageing. In contrast, those with a concommitant complaint of insomnia have impaired physical and mental health and may merit more medical attention.

Aged↗

[Children and bodily pain. Strong association between bodily pain, mental problems and sleep disorders among school children].

Body pain is frequently reported in children, and it has been suggested that childhood pain could be the beginning of chronic disabling pain. Three hypotheses were tested: 1. Body pain is associated with mental distress and sleeping problems; 2. The association is dependent on the localisation of the pain; 3. The association increases with the number of painful areas. 86 percent of the pupils (569) in the 4th form (mean age 10.5 years), 7th form (mean age 13.5 years) and 9th form (mean age 15.5 years) from all the schools in a local community answered a questionnaire about self esteem, body image, physical activity and body pain. A strong association was found between the reporting of pain, mental distress and sleeping problems. Knee pain was the only problem reported more frequently by boys than by girls, and did not show the same association with mental distress and sleeping problems as pain from other regions.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of insomnia. Getting to the root of sleeping problems.

Insomnia may be periodic and transient, as caused by situational stress, or persistent, as caused by a chronic sleep disorder. Physicians can gain much information concerning the type, probable cause, onset, and duration of insomnia through history taking. A sleep diary may reveal helpful information, and input from the patient's sleeping partner can also be valuable. Complicating disorders, such as heart failure, prostatism, or depression, should be sought and specific treatment prescribed. Chemical dependency, too, requires appropriate treatment. These measures, institution of good sleep-hygiene practices, and behavior modification may resolve sleeplessness. The primary indication for use of hypnotic agents is transient sleep disruption caused by acute stress. When an agent is chosen, onset of action, metabolism, and side effects should be considered, especially in elderly patients. Addictive agents should not be given to patients with substance abuse problems. If insomnia persists, evaluation at a sleep-disorder center is recommended to facilitate design of an appropriate therapeutic regimen.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗

An overview of sleep and common sleep problems.

The purpose of this article is to review what is currently known about healthy sleep patterns, physiological alterations during various sleep stages, and factors that affect sleep patterns. How sleep patterns are altered, either by illness or environmental situations is of major concern to nursing practice. Sleep pattern disturbances are categorized and discussed as dyssomnias, parasomnias, and sleep disorders associated with medical or psychiatric disorders. Implications for nursing research and practice are briefly addressed in the conclusion.

Humans↗