Pharmacotherapy of insomnia in childhood

Abstract

Insomnia is the most common form of sleep disturbance in childhood. Sleep disorders and a decrease in its duration and quality lead to the development of cognitive disorders, change emotional and behavioral functions of the developing organism, and negatively affect medical and psychological aspects that require medical correction. The article provides an overview of current literature data on pharmacological approaches to insomnia therapy in childhood. The general principles of treatment and the use of various pharmacological groups of drugs are discussed. It is shown that pharmacotherapy of childhood insomnia should be carried out based on knowledge about the age characteristics of patients, efficacy, safety, analysis of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic parameters of the drugs used. Drug therapy should be combined with cognitive behavioral techniques, including adherence to sleep patterns and hygiene.