Melatonin Versus Placebo in Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions and Severe Sleep Problems Not Amenable to Behaviour Management Strategies: A Randomised Controlled Crossover Trial

J Autism Dev Disord (2011) 41:175184 DOI 10.1007/s10803-010-1036-5

ORIGINAL PAPER

Melatonin Versus Placebo in Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions and Severe Sleep Problems Not Amenableto Behaviour Management Strategies: A Randomised Controlled Crossover Trial

Barry Wright David Sims Siobhan Smart Ahmed Alwazeer

Ben Alderson-Day Victoria Allgar Clare Whitton Heather Tomlinson

Sophie Bennett Jenni Jardine Nicola McCaffrey Charlotte Leyland

Christine Jakeman Jeremy Miles

Published online: 10 June 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010

Abstract Twenty-two children with autism spectrum disorders who had not responded to supported behaviour management strategies for severe dysomnias entered a double blind, randomised, controlled crossover trial involving 3 months of placebo versus 3 months of melatonin to a maximum dose of 10 mg. 17 children completed the study. There were no signicant differences between sleep variables at baseline. Melatonin signicantly improved sleep latency (by an average of 47 min) and total sleep (by an average of 52 min) compared to placebo, but not number of night wakenings. The side effect prole was low and not signicantly different between the two arms.

Keywords Melatonin Sleep

Autism spectrum disorders Dysomnia

Introduction

High rates of sleep problems are reported by parents of children with autism (National Autistic Society 2009). Studies report between 44 and 83% of children with autism having sleep difculties (Richdale 1999), in comparison to 1020% of typically developing young children (Ramachandani et al. 2000). Krakowiak and colleagues (2008)

B. Wright (&) B. Alderson-Day C. Whitton H. Tomlinson

S. Bennett J. Jardine N. McCaffrey

Lime Trees Child, Adolescent and Family Unit, 31 Shipton Road, York, North Yorkshire YO30 5RE, England, UKe-mail: [email protected]

D. SimsHillbrook Child and Family Centre, Hillbrook, Mayeld Road, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 6LD, England, UK

S. SmartDragon Parade Clinic, 2 Dragon Parade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 5BY, England, UK

A. AlwazeerRoyal Bolton Hospital, Minerva Road, Farnworth, Bolton, LN BL4 0JR, England, UK

V. AllgarHull York Medical School, John Hughlings Jackson Building, University of York, Heslington, York, North Yorkshire YO10 5DD, England, UK

C. LeylandUniversity of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, England, UK

C. Jakeman J. Miles

York Hospital, Wigginton Road, York, North Yorkshire YO31 8HE, England, UK

Present Address:C. WhittonTees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, Darlington, Durham, England, UK

Present Address:J. JardineNorthumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle...