ADHD sleep secrets: new study tracks Kids' body clocks
NCT ID NCT06971640
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looks at sleep and internal body clocks in 250 children aged 6-9 with ADHD. Researchers will use wearable sensors, parent surveys, and a lab test measuring melatonin (a sleep hormone) to see how sleep patterns relate to thinking skills and mental health. The goal is to better understand sleep problems in ADHD, not to test a new treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could point toward better ways to identify and support sleep problems in children with ADHD, potentially improving their thinking skills and daily life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It will not directly test any new therapy, and results may not apply to all children with ADHD.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 250 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2025
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Children with ADHD ages 6-9 in the Duke University Health System
- Ages
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6 to 9 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Child ages 6-9 2. Meet criteria for a primary psychiatric diagnosis of DSM-5 ADHD, any presentation 3. Intellectual functioning \>80 4. Healthy (i.e., no major medical problems) 5. If applicable, willingness to suspend use of melatonin during the study period Exclusion Criteria: 1. Meet DSM-5 criteria for psychosis, bipolar, or autism spectrum disorders 2. Diagnosis of occult sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome 3. Medication for sleep other than melatonin 4. Plans to initiate stimulant medication during the study period
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Duke University Medical Center
RECRUITINGDurham, North Carolina, 27705, United States
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