Cristóbal Coronel Rodríguez
President of the Spanish Society of Outpatient Paediatrics and Primary Care (SEPEAP), paediatrician with the Andalusian Health Service and associate professor of Paediatrics at the University of Seville
What do you think of the article overall? Is it of good quality?
‘Yes, I think it's good enough to be published.’
How does it fit in with existing evidence and what implications could it have?
"Awareness of the rational use of melatonin.
Most of the published studies and evidence on groups of children affected by certain pathologies are generally older, and these conclusions cannot be exported and applied to infants or young children or those without underlying neurological or psychological pathologies.
Melatonin has been shown to be effective in improving sleep in children with problems (blindness, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and neurodevelopmental disorders) in medium- and long-term studies, while its recommendation for insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders in children and adolescents with normal neurological development is based on studies that are less extensive in terms of number of participants and treatment time.
There is still a lack of evidence-based literature on the paediatric population without underlying pathology affected by sleep disorders.
Are there any important limitations to consider?
The fact that it is not considered a medicine and is sold over the counter means that there is no interest in promoting this type of study in children without industry sponsorship. We believe that prescription is a necessary step to ensure that doctors have control and that it is not used indiscriminately.