Sleep Walking - Norfolk,VA

My daughter who is 4 1/2 started doing this a few months ago. I researched and read and talked to the doctor. I'm sure your son is having night terrors just like my daughter did. It happened about 7 times in three weeks and then just stopped. Twice she has started to do it but for some reason did not go full blown. The lucky thing for me was she never got out of bed unless I picked her up. My friend's son would walk around the house and she said one time she caught him trying to climb the blinds on their window. The sleep walking would be the most dangerous part. I liked the idea of the slide locks on the top of the door. And the bell idea made me think of something...hang a bunch of bells on the door of his bedroom or something that will make noise if he opens it so you may wake up. As for the night terror itself... they say there is no real known "cause." But they often go along with being over tired. I also read that being too hot can cause some kids to have them. So my daughter started sleeping in just a shirt with no blankets. And if I yelled at her too much close to bedtime she would have one. It was a bunch of things all together that I tried to change. And honestly I don't know that a single one helped!! I felt better trying though :) Some kids are just prone to them. It is so scary for the parents when they are screaming and crying. Another thing I noticed is that my daughter would have to go the bathroom as soon as she "woke up." So I tried to put her on the toilet while she was crying and sometimes she would pee and it seemed to wake her up. Again I don't know if there was a real connection or not. Most things I read say not to move them or talk to them but I couldn't do that. I felt like I needed to try something to get her out of it. Another thing I read was to ask your child where mommy is. Or whoever is right close by. When they are still technically asleep they will continue to cry or sometimes say they don't know. But when they finally wake up they will be able to point to you or show some sign that they know who you are. That was the best way and the earliest sign that she was finally coming out of it. I worry that my son will also eventually have them but I take comfort that my older two daughters never had them. Good luck and hopefully it passes as quickly for you as it did for us. If you have any questions just let me know!

Dear Y.,

Your son is having night terrors. He displays a classic case. It usually occurs when your child is overtired when he goes to bed. I had them all the time when I was a child. Of course, I don't remember them, but my mom reported they were just like you describe. Sleepwalking goes along with the night terrors. Mine probably occured because I wouldn't nap and wouldn't go to bed until 10:30/11:00 pm when Mom went to bed (she refused to put me to bed, which would have solved a lot of problems).

Try putting your son to bed earlier, even if he doesn't seem tired. Kids are notorious for hiding how tired they really are. Also, Google "night terrors" on the Internet. I'm sure you'll find tons of useful information. I think the only thing you can really do is hold him until he settles down and lays back in bed. You can't talk to him or try to reason with him because he really is asleep and can't respond. And I think talking to him only makes the situation worse.

Hope this helps and you can find useful advice on the Internet.

A.

Hi,
I haven't had any experience with this problem as a mother yet, but one thought that I had is you could install a privacy lock (the kind with the little length of chain that lets you crack open the door) on the front door/back door where it's too high up for a five year old to reach. That would at least prevent him from getting outside. I could understand the sleepwalking being freaky, my mom told me stories about when I was younger coming downstairs and flipping channels on the tv while she was watching, or taking things out of the fridge and setting them down somewhere else in the house. Eventually I grew out of it, but sometimes I still talk in my sleep.
Good luck!

Hi Y., I used to sleep walk when I was younger. My husband sleep walks still. I used to get dresed for school even on the weekends, what a bummer! I would take showers, eat and yes, go outside, all while I was asleep. I would talk to my Mom coherently and not remember it the next day, etc. My husband wakes up still and fixes a sandwich, he'll turn on the TV, etc. We however, do not wake screaming. It sounds like nightmares. Maybe he doesn't go into REM sleep very well and this might cause them. If it persists, ask your doctor if doing a sleep study sounds like a good idea. In the mean time, put up slide locks high enough he can't reach them well, bells attached to key things that will alert you he's out of bed, etc. Try giving him a bell or something beside his bed and talk to him about the fact that if he rings it you will come check on him. That may relieve some anxiety if there is any causing the screaming. Also, if you have a baby monitor you could put it in his room so you might hear if he is talking in his sleep to clue you into what he might be dreaming about. There may be something bothersome he can't tell you or he may feel silly talking about. The screaming might also just be the fact that it freaks him out! Good luck with this.