Sleep Europe 2024 | Current limitations in pediatric sleep research and treatment

Karen Spruyt, PhD, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, NeuroDiderot, Paris, France, highlights key limitations in pediatric sleep research and treatment. One major challenge is the under-recognition of sleep disorders, where healthcare professionals may fail to identify symptoms. Another limitation lies in the methods used to measure sleep, often requiring costly equipment and specialized settings. Dr Spruyt also addresses the complexities of treating pediatric sleep disturbances, emphasizing the importance of considering the entire family and the common use of behavioral and cognitive approaches. For children with neurological disorders or disabilities, treatment becomes even more challenging, with melatonin sometimes used as an option—though she stresses the importance of careful monitoring. Dr Spruyt calls for advancing the understanding and treatment of pediatric sleep disturbances to improve the well-being of children, their families, and society as a whole. This interview took place at the Sleep Europe 2024 congress in Seville, Spain.

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