If you’ve caught your child sleep walking lately, the first question to arise in your head would be if this phenomenon is normal. Experts say that yes it is but it does warrant immediate attention so as to control it in its initial stages. Suhani Gupta sheds more light on this phenomenon.
What is sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder. A child suffering with this disorder rises from the bed all of a sudden and walks around or engages in other activities just like he would do when awake. The child’s eyes will be opened but he will appear dazed and will not respond to your calling out and will also not remember the sequence of events the next morning.
Though sleepwalking can strike any child, research has proven that it is more common in boys than girls. Surveys suggest that up to 20% of children tend to sleepwalk. The most common age for this disorder is between ages 6 to 12. With a specialist’s intervention, this disorder can be sorted out soon but otherwise, it usually weans out on its own as adolescence approaches. And this should relax most parents.
However, children who start sleepwalking around the age of 9- 10 are prone to sleepwalking in their adulthood too.
Why does your child sleepwalk?
Sleepwalking signifies that certain parts of your child’s brain may not be relaxing properly at bedtime. Sleep deprivation, disruption in your child’s sleep patterns due to travel, illness, new people in the house or stress or change in his or her sleeping place rather often are likely factors for triggering sleep disorders such as sleepwalking and sleep talking.
Sometimes this disorder can also be hereditary. If either of the parents suffered or suffers from this disorder, the child is likely to inherit it too.
Talking of when a child is likely to sleepwalk, Dr Kalindi Ghate, a practicing pediatrician from Mumbai says, “Usually children sleepwalk during the first stage of sleep – the slow- wave stages of non- rapid eye movement sleep. As opposed to adults, children tend to be in this slow wave stage of sleep for longer than the dream sleep stage. Magnesium deficiency as well as stress or disturbed sleep patterns can also lead to it.”
Precautions you must take
- A child may sleepwalk once and never sleepwalk again or he or she may continue to sleepwalk regularly. Some children tend to sleepwalk even daily. So it’s best to observe your child’s behaviour for a few days and then accordingly consult your doctor who will refer your child to a sleep specialist. “Do not fret over just one or two incidents but do pay attention to repeated incidents over a short period of time,” says Dr Ghate.
- Keep the child’s room and the environment around as safe as possible. Remove any objects that could hurt your child and keep the bedroom door closed so that your child stays within the room itself.
- Keep your child’s bed as low as possible. Bunk beds are something you should completely shun.
- A full bladder may trigger sleepwalking so do not give your child milk or such fluids just before bedtime.
- Keep your child away from overeating, watching television or playing violent or action laden computer games just before bed. This may lead to night terrors that could trigger sleepwalking.
- Do not wake up your child while in the act of sleepwalking, just gently guide him to bed and nudge him to sleep.
- Do not rag your child the next morning about last night’s sleep walking incident. Avoid discussions in front of his or her siblings or friends as they are likely to embarrass your child by ragging him about it.
- Ask your doctor to recommend a good child’s multivitamin and give it to your child regularly.
If the condition persists for over a month, it’s best to consult a specialist through your doctor. They will let you know if psychiatric intervention is required. Just a word of caution: do not make a big deal out of the sleepwalking incidents in front of your child otherwise it may instill feelings of embarrassment, guilt or shame in your child’s mind.
