Kleine-Levin Syndrome (KLS) is a rare and complex neurological disorder characterized by recurring periods of excessive amounts of sleep, altered behavior, ...FacebookTwitterGoogleWhatisKLS?DefiningKLSKleine-LevinSyndrome(KLS)isarareandcomplexneurologicaldisordercharacterizedbyrecurringperiodsofexcessiveamountsofsleep,alteredbehavior,andareducedunderstandingoftheworld.Thedisorderstrikesadolescentsprimarilybutcanoccurinyoungerchildrenandadults.Attheonsetofanepisodethepatientbecomesprogressivelydrowsyandsleepsformostofthedayandnight(hypersomnolence),sometimeswakingonlytoeatorgotothebathroom.Eachepisodelastsdays,weeksormonthsduringwhichtimeallnormaldailyactivitiesstop.Individualsarenotabletocareforthemselvesorattendschoolandwork.Inbetweenepisodes,thosewithKLSappeartobeinperfecthealthwithnoevidenceofbehavioralorphysicaldysfunction.KLSepisodesmaycontinuefor10yearsormore.KLSissometimesreferredtointhemediaas“SleepingBeauty”syndrome.IdentifyingKLSInadditiontoexcessivesleep,aKleine-LevinSyndrome(KLS) patient’swholedemeanorischanged,oftenappearing“spacey”orchildlike.Whenawakethepatient experiencesconfusion,disorientation,completelackofenergy(lethargy),andlackofemotions(apathy).Mostpatientsreportthateverythingseemsoutoffocus,andthattheyarehypersensitivetonoiseandlight.Insomecases,foodcravings(compulsivehyperphagia)areexhibited.Instancesofuninhibitedhyper-sexualityduringanepisodehavealsobeenreported.Kleine-LevinSyndrome(KLS)episodesarecyclical.Whenpresent,KLSsymptomspersistfordays,weeksorevenmonths,duringwhichtimeallnormaldailyactivitiesstop.Individualsarenotabletoattendschool,workorcareforthemselves.Mostarebedridden,tiredanduncommunicativeevenwhenawake.NoteveryoneaffectedbyKLSexhibitsallofthesymptomsdescribedabove.Affectedindividualsmaygoforaperiodofweeks,monthsorevenyearswithoutexperiencinganysymptoms,andthensymptoms reappearwithlittlewarning.Inbetweenepisodes,thosediagnosedwithKLSappeartobeinperfecthealthwithnoevidenceofbehavioralorphysicaldysfunction.Howevertheyfunctiondail