Comparison of sedative drugs (chloral hydrate, hydroxyzine, and melatonin) and natural sleep used in sleep transition before electroencephalogram exposure in children: A randomized controlled trial

Şerife Tutar; Muhammet Gültekin Kutluk

doi:10.55697/tnd.2026.197

Şerife Tutar¹, Muhammet Gültekin Kutluk²

¹Department of Pediatric Nursing, Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Isparta, Türkiye
²Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya, Türkiye

Keywords: Electroencephalogram, natural sleep, pediatric neurology, sedative drugs.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sedative drugs and natural sleep on sleep success, duration of falling asleep, and the baseline for electroencephalogram (EEG) recording in children, as well as adverse effects.

Patients and methods: This single-blind, randomized controlled clinical study was conducted with 180 children (113 males, 67 females; mean age: 41.66 ± 25.34 months; range, 1 to 7 years) between January and December 2021. The study comprised two stages: Stage I, preliminary preparation, and Stage II, procedure preparation and EEG recording.

Results: The sedative drug groups had a significant difference in the duration of falling asleep (p < 0.001). The duration was the shortest in the chloral hydrate group, and it was the longest in the natural sleep group. Excessive fast act patterns were highest in the chloral hydrate group and significantly lower in the natural sleep group (p = 0.042). While frequency values differed significantly among the groups, the frequency value in the hydroxyzine group was significantly higher than that in the melatonin group (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: In conclusion, while our study provided clear evidence that melatonin offered a safer sedation alternative with minimal EEG interference, the challenge of developing universally applicable sedation protocols remains. Future research should focus on multicenter trials, innovative sedative combinations, and integrating technological advances to improve both the safety and diagnostic accuracy of pediatric EEG.

Cite this article as: Tutar Ş, Kutluk MG. Comparison of sedative drugs (chloral hydrate, hydroxyzine, and melatonin) and natural sleep used in sleep transition before electroencephalogram exposure in children: A randomized controlled trial. Turk J Neurol 2026;32(1):37-49. https://doi.org/10.55697/tnd.2026.197.