FAMILIES who suffer from sleep deprivation could be helped by a pioneering trial at Alder Hey.

The hospital trust is leading a national study to see if the drug Melatonin can help children who have neuro-development disorders and problems sleeping.

A severe lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on a whole family and a child’s education.

Dr Richard Appleton, a consultant paediatric neurologist and one of the study’s chief investigators, said: “Children with neuro-developmental disorders who also have problems sleeping can have more problems with learning and behaviour.

“It can also cause severe problems for many families.

“It’s not just the child that suffers; it’s the family and carers, too.”

Jayne Evans, 37, and partner Chris Guest, 49, are already benefiting from the Mends (the use of Melatonin in children with Neuro-developmental Disorders and impaired Sleep) study after two of their children took part in the trial.

Seven-year-old twins Adam and Harry have autism and struggled with a sleep pattern since they were two years old.

Mother-of-five Jayne, from Stockbridge Village, said: “It’s been really hard because, if the twins don’t sleep, then neither does anyone else.

“As parents, it’s difficult to function on just a couple of hours sleep a night and it often means that we are tired and moody the next day.