CURRENT TOPIC Recognition and management of narcolepsy

Perhaps as many as 5 % of adults are excessively sleepy to a clinically relevant extent.1 The com-parable figure for children is not known, but sleepiness is associated with many diVerent con-ditions and, although a neglected topic, it can be the cause of serious psychological and social disadvantage.2 Narcolepsy is by no means the most common cause of excessive sleepiness. Nonetheless, it is not the rarity once supposed, and poses special problems of recognition and management, especially in young people. The purpose of this article is mainly to review the clinical picture of narcolepsy in children and adolescents, emphasising the need for paediatri-cians, child psychiatrists, and others to take