Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Leg Movements of Sleep

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects children with an estimated prevalence of 2%. RLS does not only affect sleep, but there is strong evidence that RLS affects quality of life, cognition, and behavior. The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have published guidelines for the diagnosis of RLS in children. Periodic leg movements of sleep (PLMS) are a polysomnographic diagnosis with peculiar characteristics in children. Both RLS and PLMS are postulated to have a common pathophysiologic origin in dopamine dysfunction.