Sleep Disorder in Baby? Spasm? Rls? Leg Cramps, Can't sleep

UPDATE: He has since seen many, MANY doctors, all of which are very intrigued by his symptoms but all of them have been stumped by his condition. We are sent from specialist to specialist,
We are told there is clearly something going on, he is now 2 1/2 and was diagnosed with RLS (restless leg syndrome... youngest in the world apparently) and started on medications for it. They appear to do nothing at all, so the doctor isnt sure if its the right diagnosis.

A Pediatric Neurologist started him on a low dose muscle relaxer at night only and suddenly he is a different kid at night (stil a late night child but once asleep he will stay asleep)
he is the same in the day but we can deal with the non-stop moving during awake hours.

He is generally happy but has a lot of frustration from speech

His speech is delayed he only has about 10 words to date, doctors believe it may be related to the movement disorder (still undiagnosed) we are currently working on it and seeing some improvement

This is typical how he is when he wakes in the middle of the night, he is alseep if you look at him but clearly in pain. We massage his legs or use pressure seems to help slightly, on bad nights it doesnt help at all. We have tried Tylenol/Motrin at bedtime and there is no difference.




My son is 8 months old now, and has been a terrible sleeper since he was born, seemed very uncomfortable in his own body, he was hospitalized when he was a few weeks old and they figured out he had GERD reflux which has been treated with LOSEC and he seems better in that regard, but the sleeping habits are worse in the last few weeks.
Alot of tests were done a few months ago and all were negative, we are waiting to go to a sleep clinic so they can do a sleep study on him,

thought I would take a shot and see if anyone out there has any ideas as to what could help if maybe this reminds them of their child.

These are the things we have tried and what we do each and every night before he goes to sleep for anywhere from 1-3 hours. He will wake up like a newborn still everyone 2-3 hours to eat, sometimes wakes right up from his legs like the video (this is 4am) sometimes can get back to sleep with minor massaging.

1. Swaddle him to keep him somewhat still
2. Heating pads under and on top of his legs
3. Advil on really bad nights (doesnt seem to help at all)
4. Deep Massage or patting
5. Warm Bath

During the day he seems happy, his hands and feet are always in constant motion, and he always seems very tense, like his muscles are flexed all over but it doesn't seem to bother him as bad as when he is trying to sleep,

nap time is the same- pretty hard. My husband and I are usually sweating by the time he's asleep, and if we stop massaging his legs/feet before they have stopped moving 100% you can almost see it move up his whole body, his toe wiggles then his ankle, then his knee, to his bum and if we don't touch him, he will sit right up (like the video)

it is getting harder because he is getting bigger and stronger himself so harder to swaddle and massage all while keeping him rocking.

Anyone have any ideas to try, or a guess as to what it looks like, please send me a message. Thank you!

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• Baby
• advice
• help
• sleep
• disorder
• pain
• rls
• reflux
• infant
• tense
• muscle
• spasm
• child
• uncomfortable

[alandry65]

I know this was has been a while, but had to post, he acts exactly how my son does. The Dr. has been so hesitant to try anything and finally put him on 1mg of Melatonin. That made his condition SO much worse. He has been like this since I'd say a few weeks old. He'll open his eyes, yet still be asleep. He'll sit up and move constantly and cry out with his eyes closed. I was just seeing if you ever found anything else out. He's 9 months old and it's just me, so this has been so hard...

[CaseyJones1926]

@alandry65 Hi my son is now 3- and pretty much identical to how he was, with the exception of incredible strength added to his thrashing around. He is now on a muscle relaxer(baclofen) and he can sleep! not great but huge!.  The doctors finally all agree something is going on and he is clearly in pain. No one has any ideas. All his blood work is normal, MRI was normal. He was recently diagnosed as Autistic, several of our doctors believe it is a result of the lack of sleep he sleeps 6 hrs max

[joeyandkel]

I'd like to get in touch with you privately either by phone or email, if possible!? I have a 4 year old who was diagnosed with RLS at the young age of 2 1/2 (just like your son!) - we share exactly the same story! The doctors are all stumped and none of the medications are working. We are planning to take our daughter to Mayo Clinic if her condition doesn't improve- but it seems to be getting worse every day, not better :( It's so sad. And exhausting!!! Could you please email me or share your e

[Tasnimdiva]

sometimes i give him a slight pat and he feels iam beating him so he cries and i let him cry for few secs and then he automatically wants to sleep. i noe this is hard but i too suffer from the same thing and i noe how it feels. sometimes i wana bang my feet against the floor or cut them off but i can take it i dont want my son to suffer the same. but i have tried several times and this has somehow worked. i make him cry someway and then he sleeps.i dont see any other way if u have one plss share

[Tasnimdiva]

my son goes through the same problem and just doesnt want to sleep. he wants to be on my shoulder but then he keeps on fighting with his legs by jumping on me. he is so very restless every night. i know this may sound a bit rude but it surely works. i somehow make him cry.... yes i noe this may sound rude or weird and i too dont want to do something like it surely hurts me to do so but either i shout at him in a way that he gets scared and starts crying which then makes him sleep.

[amandaog69]

Look up side effects of vaccines. Research for your answer.

[ayabrodie]

This may sound odd I have rls which is so irritating and painful when full blown worst case can affect my arms as well. Ihve had bouts where its gone nonstop 24 hrs for over 2 weeks with no relief. I have my children lay either their heads or legs across my legs usually lower thigh or knee area it helps relieve the pain and let's me sleep most the time, sadly I move them in their sleep to my legs as well. As for the arms nothing relieves it. If it is rls this may help if not maybe it still

[sharisse1984]

Hi there my son is a year old he does excally what yours did but crys so bad like he is in so much pain I also have to crub the cramps from his feet it only happens in the night do u have any suggestions im a single mom with three kids he is my baby please try and help me if u will thank u soooo much

[UtubeDuDeDuh]

You should check out different baby videos where babies have hard time sleeping and spazems, or moves around alot! they have alot of them with doctors talking about the various symtoms it could be =)

I hope its nothing to bad, God bless him!

[thatgirlkelly1]

omg i love watching babies sleep, they are so cute.