Restless Legs Syndrome

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Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition that is characterized by the irresistible urge to move the legs.

It is believed that 10 million adults and 1.5 million children and adolescents have RLS in the United States.

RLS symptoms often begin during childhood or adolescence.

About 35% of patients report RLS onset prior to age 20, and one in ten report that the syndromeappeared during the first decade of life.

Despite all of this, RLS remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Symptoms of RLS include:

A strong urge to move your legs which you may not be able to resist. The need to move is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Some words used to describe these sensations include: creeping, itching, pulling, creepy-crawly, tugging, or gnawing.
RLS symptoms start or become worse when you are resting. Often people will complain that they are fine until they are at their most peaceful, and just about ready to fall asleep
RLS symptoms get better when you move your legs. The relief can be complete or only partial but generally starts very soon after starting an activity. Relief persists as long as the motor activity continues.
RLS symptoms are worse in the evening especially when you are lying down. Activities that bother you at night do not bother you during the day.

Children with RLS:

May be uncomfortable, and irritable and may need understanding and support from the adults around them.
May have impaired intellectual or emotional function that is caused by the discomfort of RLS or the sleep disturbances it causes, and treatment can have a very positive impact on their lives.
May be able, with early treatment, to prevent the progression of their symptoms with age.
May be difficult to diagnose, since they may not be able to describe the symptoms listed above in words.

It is important to consider the diagnosis of RLS in children with mood, behavioral or sleep disturbances when there is a biological relative with RLS.

RLS can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Many sufferers of RLS will also have PLMS (Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep). These are jerking movments that can occur up to every 20-30 seconds, at various intervals throughout the night. This may lead to partial awakenings that disrupt sleep, but that the person may not even be fully aware of. This disrupted sleep can result in significant adversity at work/school, in relatonships, and for your health.