Prescribing sleep drugs for children questioned

Prescribing sleep drugs for children questioned

Reuters

Published: Thursday, August 02, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Children and teenagers suffering from sleep problems often are prescribed drugs that have not been approved for such young patients, according to a new study.

Although there is no approved medication for treating insomnia in young people, researchers found that 81 per cent of visits to doctors for sleeping problems resulted in a prescription for some type of medication.

Drowsiness-promoting antihistamine or a sedative were the most commonly prescribed drugs.