“How can I stop my child from sleepwalking?”
My daughter is sleepwalking. What can I do? Should I take her to a doctor?
3 Answers
Actually there is no need to do that. Medicine can suppress sleepwalking
behavior but sleepwalking is a normal developmental variant in children and
usually requires no treatment. Sleepwalking can best be thought of as an
incomplete awakening. It is a phenomenon sometimes seen in young
developing brains. Stress and environments which disrupt sleep can provoke
additional sleepwalking. You should be sure that there is a safe
environment free of trip hazards since walking around in a pitch black room
holds the potential for falling or bumping into things. Sleepwalking
children generally do not injure themselves but are at risk of tripping or
bumping into objects in the dark, just as they would be if they were awake.
Also be sure that it is not possible to simply walk out of the house or
apartment. It would be worth seeing a sleep specialist for an expert review
of the individual circumstances of your child. There are medical conditions
that can provoke sleepwalking and it is best to obtain a consultation. Your
pediatrician or family physician can help arrange this.
behavior but sleepwalking is a normal developmental variant in children and
usually requires no treatment. Sleepwalking can best be thought of as an
incomplete awakening. It is a phenomenon sometimes seen in young
developing brains. Stress and environments which disrupt sleep can provoke
additional sleepwalking. You should be sure that there is a safe
environment free of trip hazards since walking around in a pitch black room
holds the potential for falling or bumping into things. Sleepwalking
children generally do not injure themselves but are at risk of tripping or
bumping into objects in the dark, just as they would be if they were awake.
Also be sure that it is not possible to simply walk out of the house or
apartment. It would be worth seeing a sleep specialist for an expert review
of the individual circumstances of your child. There are medical conditions
that can provoke sleepwalking and it is best to obtain a consultation. Your
pediatrician or family physician can help arrange this.
Depending on the age, this is just a benign condition that they will grow out of. They tend to have deeper sleep, which is when sleepwalking occurs.
Sleep walking is a phenomenon that occurs during NREM sleep, which is more frequent in the first part of the night (before midnight). It usually resolves after the teen ages. The treatment includes a medicine that will prevent the brain from partially arousing during those periods. You should take your daughter to the doctor. Other things need to be excluded to find out if there are triggers. Respectfully.
