Low doses of melatonin may help children with autism get a better night's rest, researchers report. Eleven youngsters with autism ages 4 to 10 fell asleep more quickly and slept longer when given low-dose supplements of melatonin, says Beth Malow, MD, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Studies have shown that as many as 70% of children with autism suffer from sleep problems, according to Andrew Zimmerman, MD, of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, who specializes in treating autism. - webmed.com