Melatonin modestly improves sleep latency and duration in children with cerebral palsy compared with placebo
In a systematic review of 12 randomized controlled trials, melatonin was the only intervention showing modest improvement in sleep latency and duration compared with placebo in children with cerebral palsy. Other pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions showed inconsistent or negligible effects. The overall certainty of evidence was low.
Evidence Score
Study Evidence
Study 1. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for managing sleep disorders in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.
observationalJaiswal N, Fisher L, Ciminata G, Mulholland R, Noel-Storr A, Nutton L, Orr V, Eunson P, Cooper NJ, Sutton A, Wu O, Quinn T · Developmental medicine and child neurology (2026)
Result:
Mechanism Graph
Limitations
- ⚠Limited number of trials (12 RCTs) with small sample sizes
- ⚠Heterogeneous interventions and outcomes, low certainty of evidence
- ⚠No completed economic evaluations identified
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most effective intervention for sleep disorders in children with cerebral palsy?▼
Based on this systematic review, melatonin showed modest improvement in sleep latency and duration compared with placebo. Other interventions (e.g., massage, music therapy, acupuncture) had inconsistent or negligible effects.
Are there any side effects of melatonin in children with cerebral palsy?▼
The review reported that adverse events were mild and tolerability was acceptable for the interventions studied, including melatonin.
What is the certainty of evidence for sleep interventions in children with cerebral palsy?▼
The certainty of evidence is low due to limited, heterogeneous trials and small sample sizes. More robust trials are needed.
Are there economic evaluations of sleep interventions for children with cerebral palsy?▼
No completed economic evaluations were identified in this systematic review.
Products
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References
- 1.Jaiswal N, Fisher L, Ciminata G, Mulholland R, Noel-Storr A, Nutton L, Orr V, Eunson P, Cooper NJ, Sutton A, Wu O, Quinn T. "Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for managing sleep disorders in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.." Developmental medicine and child neurology, 2026. PMID: 42625443 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.70435