Study evaluates prevalence of periodic limb movements during sleep in children

A study of 195 healthy, non-snoring children found that periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) are uncommon in normal children. Results show that 7.7 percent of subjects had a periodic limb movement index (PLMI) greater than five per hour. These children had increased sleep fragmentation as demonstrated by a higher arousal index, indicating that this cutoff is clinically appropriate. Results are published in the August issue of the journal SLEEP.