WESTCHESTER, Ill. — Physicians frequently prescribe medications for sleep difficulties in children in U.S. outpatient settings, according to a study published in the August 1st issue of the journal SLEEP.

“According to our study, 81 percent of visits among children with sleep difficulties resulted in a prescription for a medication,” said Nahata. “Many of these medications were frequently used to treat children with sleep difficulties in outpatient settings despite lack of FDA approved labeling to assure their effectiveness and safety in this population.”