Abstract :
Sleep disturbance is a common symptom found in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sleep disturbances contribute to decreased quality of life. In addition to pharmacological treatment, non-pharmacological options could also help sleep disturbances management in pediatric patients with ASD. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland and contributes to the sleep-wake cycle. The effects of melatonin supplementation on sleep disturbances have been extensively reported, but its role in children with ASD is not well known. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and safety of melatonin in the management of children with autism spectrum disorder. This systematic review research includes journals from the Google Scholar, Sciencedirect, and PubMed databases according to PRISMA which include the following requirements: last 5 years, abstract available, English language, and the research method is controlled trial. The search terms used were “Melatonin” AND “Children” AND “Autism Spectrum Disorder” AND “Sleep Disturbance”. From 319 articles found, 6 journals related to melatonin were selected for further review. Melatonin supplementation is associated with reduction in symptoms of sleep disturbances in pediatric patients with ASD. Melatonin supplementation tends to be safe, where the most common symptom is temporary somnolence.
