Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 4, 2025
How to Obtain Reliable Visual Event-related Potentials in Newborns
Published on: October 24, 2019
Images: Rhythmic movement disorder in a normal developing child with obstructive sleep apnea
1West Virginia University, Charleston, West Virginia.
Insights
Rhythmic movement disorder involves abnormal sleep movements in children. While some movements are normal, they become pathologic when they disrupt sleep or cause self-injury.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric sleep medicine
- Neurology
- Movement disorders
Background:
- Children may display unusual movements during sleep.
- Asymptomatic rhythmic movements of the head, neck, and trunk are often considered normal.
- Pathologic movements that interfere with sleep or cause self-injury are termed rhythmic movement disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define and differentiate normal sleep movements from pathologic rhythmic movement disorder in children.
- To highlight the clinical significance of sleep-related movements.
Main Methods:
- Clinical observation and case review.
- Diagnostic criteria for rhythmic movement disorder.
Main Results:
- Rhythmic movements during sleep can range from normal to pathologic.
- Interference with sleep quality and self-injury are key indicators of disorder.
Conclusions:
- Distinguishing normal from abnormal sleep movements is crucial for diagnosis.
- Rhythmic movement disorder requires clinical attention when sleep is affected or self-injury occurs.
Citation:
Children can exhibit a plethora of strange movements during sleep. Asymptomatic rhythmic movements of the head, neck, and trunk can be normal. When these interfere with sleep or cause self-injury, it is pathologic and termed rhythmic movement disorder.
Citation:
Bishara J, Mitacek R. Images: Rhythmic movement disorder in a normal developing child with obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(10):2137-2139.
