Ouch! Growing pains or RLS?

Sometimes, my kids tell me their legs hurt. Once, Joey even claimed he couldn't walk. He sat still all day and I carried him to the playroom, the bathroom, his bed. A trip to the pediatrician turned up nothing but the old standby: Growing pains. He must be growing, the doc told us. A day later, Joey was back to his usual antics.

When kids begin reaching adolescence, we'd be wise to not dismiss leg pain -- because it could be restless leg syndrome (RLS), a neurological condition affecting about 2 percent of children. Signs of RLS include leg discomfort that interferes with sleep but improves with movement and a tingling or itchy bug-crawling feeling. Since RLS can be genetic, tell your doctor if anyone in your family has the condition.

Better sleep habits and minimizing TV and computer time before bed can help milder RLS cases. But if these strategies don't work, be sure to see a pediatric sleep specialist, a developmental pediatrician, or a pediatric neurologist who can help you chart a course toward pain-free legs.

For more information about children and RLS, visit rls.org.