From a medical standpoint, restlessness can be a very tricky symptom Symptom
In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue.. Sometimes, it is perfectly understandable as boredom, and need not be medicalized as a target for therapy, but rather needs a common sense approach of relieving boredom. But this can be tricky as the patient lives in an environment in which they are expected to sit quietly. 'Restlessness' as a medical problem is also tricky if, in fact, it represents the side effect Side effect
An undesired effect of a drug treatment that may range in severity from barely noticeable, to uncomfortable, to dangerous. of drugs (such as neuroleptics) that are prescribed (and often over-prescribed) to people with dementia. Especially if the original reason that the neuroleptic was given was for agitation, subsequent restlessness can be interpreted as a sign Sign
In medicine a sign is what a physician finds by examining a patient. For example, a patient with the symptom of pain might have signs of a fast heart rate, a pale face, a clammy touch and tenderness. of agitation, and thus more drug is given, when in fact what is needed is a lower dose of the neuroleptic. It is also particularly important to remember that, in a person with poor language skills, restlessness can be a sign of pain.