Sleepwalking and Night Terrors
Must-Knows for Worried Parents
David Brooks will never forget the terrifying night. The Olathe father of six awoke to the sound of a girl screaming and, after much searching, found his nearly-3-year-old daughter standing in the middle of their cul-de-sac, confused and crying. In a sleepwalking state, she had gone out the front door and traveled down the street.David ran to get her and carried her home.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, as many as 40 percent of children sleepwalk at least once, most commonly between the ages of 3 and 7.
What is sleepwalking?
During sleepwalking, the child may sit up in bed and repeat certain movements, or he might walk around the room or house. His movements and speech will be clumsy and he will appear dazed. He will not usually answer when you speak to him, and the next day he will have no memory of the experience.
Experts don’t know exactly what causes sleepwalking but there are several factors that might contribute to it. Dr. Mary Hamm, Child Care Limited Pediatrics of KCMO, says, “Sleepwalking can run in families and is more common with fever and illness, fatigue or irregular sleep schedules.”
What should parents do?
Experts agree that the most important thing to do if your child sleepwalks is to keep him or her safe. Hamm says, “If you find your child sleepwalking, gently guide them back to bed. Don’t attempt to wake them up by yelling or making loud noises.”
She recommends that children who sleepwalk do not sleep on a top bunk and that parents clear clutter from the floor and remove potentially dangerous objects from the child’s room. Installing safety gates at the top of stairs or outside the child’s room are also good ideas.
What are night terrors?
Night terrors are different than nightmares. During a night terror, a child will appear awake but won’t respond to you. She may scream, thrash and be difficult to console. Night terror is often more frightening for the parents than for the child, who has no memory of it the next day.
Night terrors also seem to run in families and occur more often when children are ill, over-tired or sleeping in an unfamiliar environment.
What should parents do?
“The best thing to do during a night terror is to hold your child gently so they don’t hurt themselves,” explains Hamm. “Don’t try to wake your child up. Reassure your child that you are there and keep them as calm as possible. Your child will usually settle down within a few minutes.”
Most children outgrow sleepwalking and night terrors on their own over time. If episodes increase in frequency or duration, talk to your child’s doctor.
Tisha Foley lives in Belton with her husband and two children. She could write a book about her daughter’s sleepwalking experiences.