Treatment of behavioral sleep problems in children and adolescents - literature review.

AIM To collect data on treatment of behavioural sleep disorders in children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature review based on the PUBMED database. RESULTS Based on the analysed materials three basic complementary procedures were identified - implementation of sleep hygiene, behavioural interventions and pharmacological treatment. The rules of sleep hygiene proven to be effective include: regular sleep schedule, adequately prepared place to sleep (a dark, quiet bedroom without multimedia), bedtime routine, avoiding caffeinated beverages. The following issues require further studies to confirm their effectiveness: falling asleep independently without parent's assistance, bedtime reading, physical activity, reducing daytime multimedia use, tryptophan rich breakfasts. Behavioural interventions and pharmacological treatment may in some cases be temporarily implemented to complement the sleep hygiene. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of sleep hygiene is a primary, fully acceptable to the child and parents, way to improve the baby sleep. In case of ineffectiveness of the proposed rules, those can be complemented with behavioural methods that are highly effective but some parents do not accept them or make mistakes in their introduction. Pharmacotherapy can be used as a temporary support for families with severe behavioural problems as an aid in the implementation of sleep hygiene and behavioural methods.