Restless Legs Syndrome in Childhood

Diagnostic criteria of restless legs syndrome were set up in 1995 by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). With regard to new scientific knowledge and increasing clinical experience, diagnostic criteria have been revised in a consensus workshop. Participants of the workshop considered as an important topic the development of new diagnostic criteria for special populations: 1) for children and 2) for the cognitively impaired elderly. The common characteristic of both groups is their difficulty to express and formulate adequately subjective symptoms and therefore considerably impeding the diagnosis of restless legs syndrome. A proposal for diagnostic criteria of restless legs syndrome in childhood has been elaborated in 2002 by members of the study groups „Movement disorders and sleep“ and „Paediatrics“ of the German Sleep Society. The proposal was partially incorporated in the diagnostic criteria for restless legs syndrome in childhood suggested by the IRLSSG. The current diagnostic criteria are recommendations to enhance further research and clinical work and be validated. The presentation gives a synopsis of published studies on restless legs syndrome in childhood, a recapitulation of the proposals for diagnostic criteria and a summary of particulars of the case history in children.