Q. MY seven-year-old son has suddenly started to sleepwalk. He has never done this before and I am really worried he may cause himself some damage or have an accident.
He has always been a good sleeper but recently he has become more active during the night. I think he is getting too much stimulation during the day but my husband thinks I am being silly. How can we help him settle again at night?
A. DISTURBED sleep, nightmares and sleepwalking are all forms of temporary sleep disorders which can commonly occur in children from time to time.
Sleepwalking commonly occurs during the first third of the night, during the deepest part of sleep. Episodes can last anywhere from a few minutes up to one hour, with five to 15 minutes being average. Sleepwalkers appear to be awake but are typically unresponsive to individuals who attempt to communicate with them. Those who do sleepwalk typically have no memory of what they are doing, so as parents, you would be very correct to worry about keeping your son safe during these episodes.
There are many reasons as to why this may suddenly occur, the most common being that it can follow traits within families. It may also be triggered by high fevers, general illness, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes and emotional stress.
Being over stimulated during the day may be a factor and it is something that you can help to reduce to allow your son to become restful,. In general, most people only suffer from sleepwalking on a temporary basis, and most people tend to overcome this naturally. However, serious and prolonged episodes of sleepwalking should receive medical attention.
If you think that your son may be over stimulated during the day, then it is important that you make sure he cuts back on any activities you feel may be adding to this situation.
This can be seen as a temporary solution and once undisturbed sleep has returned, you may want to resume normal activities. Make sure your son is not watching too much television, or inappropriately aged programmes before bedtime which may fuel his imagination. Also be vigilant as to what games he may be playing or accessing through any use of computers.
Try to keep the evenings as quiet and as relaxed as possible, which will help your son to unwind and relax before bedtime. It is also important to keep his room free from any large objects or items that may cause him harm when sleepwalking.
Keep the area as clean and clear as possible to allow him to be as safe and undisturbed as possible during his episodes. Make sure all windows are securely locked and the stairways are protected so he cannot fall down them.
If you are still worried about his sleeping pattern, then you should make an appointment with your GP.
MUM-OF-TWO Laura Ashurst lives in Stokesley with her husband and two children, Megan, nine, and Jack, six. Laura runs her own complementary therapy business, Tranquility Treatment Room, from her home in The Stripe.
“It seems that sleepwalking is quite common in young children and they grow out of it in time.
“Megan has only had one episode of sleepwalking and she is nine.
“Perhaps it might be useful to look at the routine before bedtime, for example, a relaxing bath, milky drink and nothing too stimulating prior to lights out such as video games.
“If the mother is anxious that her son might hurt himself, then perhaps reintroducing a stair gate might give some peace of mind.
“What I did notice when my daughter was sleepwalking was that she was unable to hear me calling her name.
“I gently steered her in the direction of my bed and settled her into bed beside me. Somehow, it seemed that although she was “asleep” she could “see” quite clearly.
“The idea a child can be getting too much stimulation during the day is not a silly one when you consider the vast range of stimulants that children are exposed to.
“Looking at the child’s diet to try and minimise the number of E numbers being consumed might also be worthwhile in an attempt to reduce the level of activity in the child’s brain at night.”
SAM MYERS is a fitness instructor. She lives in Norton with her partner Gary Thornton and children Jasmin, seven, and Bella-Marie, three.
“I would say have a look at the food that he is eating and see if there has been any changes to his diet recently that may have caused him to sleepwalk. It could be something he is eating at school or a certain ingredient that is causing him to get up in the night.
“Other than that I would recommend seeing your doctor because there are all sorts of things that can cause sleepwalking and it is best to rules these out.
Also keep the environment safe, make sure there are no dangers in his room, everything is cleared away at night and that the front and back doors are locked. If it was me I would consider investing in some baby monitors so that you can hear him when he starts and make sure that he is OK.”