Leg-rubbing syndrome in children is a psychobehavioral disorder in which children rub their legs to cause arousal, also known as “emotional cross-leg syndrome”. Leg-rubbing syndrome is a habitual action characterized by leg-rubbing and constant rubbing of the perineum. This syndrome is most common in young girls aged 2-3 years old, but can also occur in boys. Most of the episodes occur just after going to sleep or just after waking up, usually once in several days, and individual children can have several episodes a day. According to Freud’s doctrine of childhood sexuality, at the age of 1-3 years the child’s needs have shifted from the oral (oral period) to the anal area (anal period), and then to the genital area. It can be seen that the leg-holding habit that starts to appear at the age of 2-3 years is in line with the physiological development of children’s sexuality. The “leg clenching” is an act of self-masturbation, a generalized pressure on the external genitalia, but unlike masturbation, which is usually limited to the external genitalia and vaginal area after puberty, the younger the child is, the more generalized the “leg clenching” becomes, and the habit of leg clenching disappears at a certain age or is replaced by masturbation. The habit of clenching disappears or is replaced by masturbation at a certain age. The formation of “leg clenching” is often related to a number of factors: excessive adult stimulation of the child’s legs and perineal area, including too frequent cleaning care scrubbing; other persistent irritants such as pinworms, vulvar eczema or too tight pants caused by local itching, friction; calcium deficiency resulting in increased sympathetic stress; individual children due to lack of maternal love or discrimination, emotional unfulfillment. Individual children suffer from discrimination and are emotionally unsatisfied and vent their feelings through their own stimulation. Parents should not be overly nervous when they find that their children have the habit of pinching their legs, because it does not mean that they will “turn bad” in the future. Children can receive sexual information or stimulation from the outside world, but they cannot understand and realize it deep inside. If you scold and forcibly prohibit the leg-holding behavior of children, it will only further strengthen the habit. In order to correct the leg-holding syndrome, parents should carefully check the child for local irritants, such as pinworms, eczema, etc., should be promptly treated. Help your child develop a good habit of going to bed on time, don’t go to bed too early at night, and don’t stay in bed after waking up to reduce the chance of “pinch leg” attacks. Parents should also pay attention to creating a good family environment for their children, giving them adequate warmth and affection. Encourage your child to participate in more outdoor activities to minimize the amount of time he or she spends alone. When the “pinch leg” is about to attack or is attacking, parents can pretend as if nothing is wrong, pick the child up and walk, or give some more attractive toys to amuse, in order to divert the child’s attention. I. The causes and manifestations of pediatric leg clenching syndrome Pediatric leg clenching syndrome is a habitual action in which the child rubs his perineum as the main manifestation. In the past, it was called pediatric autogynephilia, but now it is rarely used. This syndrome is mostly seen in children over 1 year old, more in girls than in boys. The cause may be related to local stimulation of the vulva, due to local irritation such as eczema, encopresis, pinworms, too tight underwear and other factors, resulting in itching of the vulva, the child then rubbed, on the basis of which the development of habitual action. It is also believed that this action is an expression of self-soothing in children, similar to finger-sucking. Older children may rub due to curiosity or for comfort, which becomes habitual over time. The main manifestation is rubbing of the perineum. Children can rub their perineum repeatedly with their legs together or crossed or riding on an object, and girls often rub up and down with their legs crossed, with a red face, gaze and sweating on the forehead or body. In children, the rubbing occurs before going to sleep, when they first wake up or when they are playing alone. Each episode lasts for a few minutes, and the number of episodes varies, from several times a day to once every few days. In small infants, the movement may stop when picked up from bed or when changing position, and in older children it may be interrupted consciously. First of all, parents should understand the nature of the syndrome, explaining that it is a bad behavior, but does not affect the child’s health and has nothing to do with social morality, so parents do not need to be anxious and nervous. Actively find the cause, eliminate local irritants, and pay attention to the cleanliness of external genitalia. Before going to bed, you can do appropriate physical activities to make your child tired before going to bed, so that he or she can fall asleep quickly. Don’t cover too much when you sleep and get up when you wake up. Do not wear tight clothing during the day to eliminate the conditions that lead to such habits. Try to divert the attention of the child who is having an attack, rather than scolding or punishing. Older children should be coaxed and encouraged to have the confidence to overcome the maladaptive behavior. In children with frequent and persistent seizures, aversive behavioral therapy such as malignant stimulation or acupuncture can be given during the seizure to promote the regression of the maladaptive behavior. Sedative drugs such as Valium or Phenobarbital can be used as adjunctive treatment.