Parenting Forums

Posted: 26 March 2006 at 8:00pm | IP Logged

Joshua's night terrors have progressed to sleep walking, I know these two are linked but I have no idea how to help him with this. I slept walk when I was little and my mum used to have to let me out the front door as I used to bang it with my head to get out. From doing the night terrors article I know what not to leave around to avoid him getting hurt, but is there anything I can do to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand? I dont want him to be like me, I suffered mine for a long time. Doctors put mine down to stress and anxiety, Im so worried Joshua is upset about something which I dont know about. Mine turned out to be something rather serious which stays with me to this day, what if Im missing something with Joshua?

The night terrors became less frequent when he started taking the sedative but now he has slept walked for the passed 3 nights, and at different times. There seems to be no pattern. The first night he came down walked around the front room, moved a few things and then went back to bed. The 2nd night he came down and stood in the doorway for what seemed like forever then walked around and went back to bed. Last night he came down, wondered into the kitchen then perched on the sofa and starred blankly at the wall in front.

I have no idea what I should do now, there is nothing for him to trip or hurt himself on. I keep doors and windows lock. I cant close the stair gate because he just soldiers over it and Im more scared of him over balancing and tumbling down the stairs. I close it when I go to bed as I can hear as soon as he moves if Im upstairs but down here I cant hear him till he is half way down the stairs. I can cope with him at this stage Im just worried if it progresses.

Any advice on nipping this in the bud would be greatly appreciated. Sorry it was a long post xxxx

Posted: 26 March 2006 at 8:15pm | IP Logged

has anything happened that you can think of the day before he started doing it? have you changed anything with his routine of going to bed or anything like that?  I'm sorry, I've no idea what to suggest except do you have a sleep clinic near you? Maybe they could help you, they are the experts after all...?

you must be worried sick, I hope you manage to nip it in the bud soon, Greedy, x

Posted: 26 March 2006 at 8:25pm | IP Logged

Chris, how long has Joshua been taking the sedative? Sleep walking occurs when the sleeper is in a deep sleep - its a long shot, but could it be as a result of the sedative?

I sleep walk - I have done since I was little. I don't know why, and there doesn't seem to be anything that triggers it. When I was little, my mum used to put a bean bag at the bottom of the stairs incase I fell.

It might be worth having a word with your GP incase it is the sedative.

Hth xxxx

Posted: 26 March 2006 at 10:37pm | IP Logged

my brother has slept walked from the minute he could stand (it started as hurling himself over the cot bars every nite)

Any time he got out of bed my mum would gently lead him back 2 bed, tuck him in & he would still b sound asleep

As u already know its not advised 2 wake them but as long as ur gentle with him he should go back in2 bed no problem, in theory anyway

My brother is 7 now, he can now sleep walk himself 2 the bathroom flush the toilet & go back 2 bed without knowing anything about it...only problem that occurs is wen hes at some1 elses house if they hav a different layout cause he'll wee wherever the bathroom should b lol