Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS) often begin in childhood or adolescence, with about 35% reporting onset prior to age 20. Restless legs syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by a distressing urge to move the legs and sometimes other parts of the body, usually accompanied by a marked sense of discomfort in the legs or other affected body parts. Parents or healthcare providers may mistakenly attribute the child’s discomfort to “growing pains”. Sleep disturbance is common among children and adults with RLS. In children, the sleep disturbance may precede or overshadow the complaint of leg discomfort. In other children, disturbed sleep and periodic limb movements in sleep predominate as symptoms, while leg discomfort may be mild, intermittent, or even absent. A recent study reported chronic clinical sleep disturbance to precede the onset of specific RLS sensations by an average of 11 years in a group of children who presented with RLS in this manner.