What is restless legs syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a movement disorder in which the
child or adolescent reports an uncomfortable and irresistible urge to move his
or her legs. This urge usually happens at bedtime but can occur at other times
when the legs have been inactive, such as when sitting still for a long period
of time (eg, during long car rides or while watching a movie). To relieve the
discomfort, the child or adolescent moves his or her legs, stretches his or her
legs, tosses and turns, or gets up and walks or runs around. The relief
experienced is usually immediate.
What causes restless legs syndrome?
The exact cause of this disorder is not known. RLS can be
related to a low iron level or sometimes associated with diabetes, kidney or
some neurological diseases. RLS sometimes runs in families and there is thought
to be a genetic link in these cases. Many types of drugs used in the treatment
of other disorders may cause RLS as a side effect.
What are the signs and symptoms of restless legs syndrome?
Symptoms of restless legs syndrome include:
- Leg discomfort or "heebie-jeebies" – uncomfortable leg sensations
described as creeping, itching, pulling, crawling, cramping, tugging,
tingling, burning, gnawing, or pain. Feeling of "Coca Cola in the veins" has
been described. These sensations usually occur at bedtime but can occur at
other times of leg inactivity.
- Urge to move legs – to relieve leg discomfort, children and
adolescents have an uncontrollable urge to move their legs.
- Sleep disruption – additional time is often needed to fall asleep
because of the urge to move the legs to relieve the discomfort. Sometimes
staying asleep may also be difficult.
- Bedtime behavior problems – because children have a hard time
falling asleep, they may not always stay in bed and sometimes need to get
out of bed to stretch their legs to relieve discomfort.
- Daytime sleepiness – problems with falling asleep and staying asleep
may result in problems with daytime sleepiness.
- Behavior and school performance problems – again, due to sleep
disruption, problems may emerge in the child’s academic performance or in
daytime behavior (irritability, moodiness, difficulty concentrating,
hyperactivity, etc)
How is restless legs syndrome diagnosed?
Unfortunately, there is no specific test for restless legs
syndrome. Diagnosis is made based on symptoms. A medical history and complete
physical exam is conducted to rule out any other possible health problems. An
overnight sleep study may be recommended to evaluate for other sleep disorders,
especially periodic limb movement disorder (a movement disorder in which legs
kick or twitch during sleep but the child is usually not aware of the symptoms).