Kleine-Levin Syndrome (KLS) is a rare disorder characterised by recurrent bouts of excessive sleep associated with reduced understanding of the world and altered behaviour.
KLS usually starts in the teenage years but can occur in younger children and adults.
Each episode lasts days, weeks or months during which time all normal daily activities stop. Individuals are not able to care for themselves or attend school and work.
People with KLS coming out of episodes will have little or no memory of what happened during an episode. Between episodes they have normal sleep, understanding and behaviour.
KLS episodes may continue for 10 years or more.
What are the symptoms of KLS?
Symptoms vary between individuals with KLS but the following first 3 symptoms are always present during a bout:
Hypersomnia (Excessive prolonged sleep)
Someone with KLS will 'sleep' 15 to 22 hours for days, weeks or even months. They feel and look exhausted. Sleep may be disturbed.
Cognitive impairment
They experience confusion, reduced understanding and feel in a dreamlike state (derealisation). They cannot concentrate, have difficulty communicating, speaking and reading and do not remember events after an episode.
Altered behaviour
Their demeanour is altered so that they appear spaced out or childlike. They are affected by apathy, are uncommunicative and may engage in automatic and repetitive behaviour.
Teenagers will stop normal activities such as using mobile phones, seeing friends and showering and may listen to the same music or watch the same programme repeatedly.
Some individuals with KLS have:
Compulsive Eating (known medically as Hyperphagia)
Sometimes those with KLS eat compulsively and mechanically during a bout and have food cravings for sweets, snacks or foods they would not normally eat. Some eat less.
Other symptoms
Some individuals, generally boys, experience hypersexuality or other disinhibited behaviour.
Some experience migraine headaches with hypersensitivity to noise and light.
If they are not in their home environment then some may become anxious, aggressive or irritable particularly if prevented from sleeping.
Some have autonomic symptoms including disturbed body temperature control, and altered blood pressure and heart rate.
Some may have hallucinations and delusions in some bouts.
Towards the end of an episode some get depressed and some experience elation and insomnia for one to three days afterwards.
Source: KSL Support UK
Some have autonomic symptoms including disturbed body temperature control, and altered blood pressure and heart rate.
Some may have hallucinations and delusions in some bouts.
Towards the end of an episode some get depressed and some experience elation and insomnia for one to three days afterwards.
Source: KSL Support UK
Comments
Post a Comment