Child RLS, any ideas

Whether new to RLS or new to the site, we welcome you and invite you to share your history and experiences with RLS/WED, introduce yourself, and ask questions. Successful treatment starts with a solid understanding of this disease.
Post Reply
kelquigs
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:55 am

Child RLS, any ideas

Post by kelquigs »

Hi I am new to this web site and I am calling my son's pediatrician today however I think my son may have RLS. My son is 10 and I don't think has slept through the night completely a day of his life. He has extreme difficulty falling asleep and when he does fall asleep he is constantly kicking. He is tired during the day but luckily it has not affected his school work. He has been tested for ADHD and that came back negative, and he also has seen pyschologists and counceling for his sleeping problems, as the doctors thought it was more "anxiety" related. However the more research I do the more I think it could be RLS, possibly lnked to iron deficiency. He is a very picky eatter and does not eat much meat, I guess in todays society he would be considered a "carb kid". I hope his pediatrician will support a sleep study. I have had one and it discovered that I had sleep hypopnia ( a form of sleep apnea).
Thanks for reading and if anyone has similar experiences please feel free to reply, I think it would be reassuring to hear other's expereiences.
Thanks - kelquigs.

Neco
Posts: 2297
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Somewhere in the midwest
Contact:

Post by Neco »

I hope you get things sorted out. I have been an insomniac my whole life, and when I was around 12 or 13 their response was to give me some anti-depressants "because they make you tired" :roll:

If your son is kicking around in his sleep definitely tell the doctor. Tell him how frequently you observe it, the frequency of the kicks themselves, and the severity (force) of the motions. It sounds like Periodic Limb Movements to me, which is slightly different than RLS - but one condition does not mutually exclude or include the other.

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by ViewsAskew »

kelquigs, check out the "special populations" section. It seems most of the posts about kids and RLS are there. There is even a sticky post about kids and RLS.

Good luck - hope you find what you need.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

chelsea
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:36 pm

Post by chelsea »

Hi
I know hwhat your going through. I have a 6 year old with rls discovered through a sleep study. He was also tested for adhd. This disease is very rough on the young because they don't understand the medical aspects of it. Please do as much research as you can for your child. If you can get a sleep study done without your peds request don't wait. Achild that does not sleep is the worse there can be. It wreaks havoc on your household. Nobody understands unless they are going through it. The ferritin level should be checked also. My son is a very bad eater and loves carbs and candy also. His level was ok. Find the best sleep doc and neuro in your area because you need somebody that can really help you and your son. My heart goes out to you and your family. I will keep you in my thoughts.
Chelsea

Post Reply