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Sleepwalking DS - WWYD?

15 replies

CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 19:58

My 6yo DS is generally a good sleeper, but sometimes he sleepwalks, coming through at about 10/11 o'clock at night. I found him turning little circles in a cupboard once! I just give him a cuddle and take him back through to bed, where he generally settles with just a little bit of grumbling Smile. He doesn't remember anything about it later, of course, and he is definitely sleepwalking, or I'd just put it down to wanting extra cuddles.

I haven't been worried about it, because he's so easy to settle back down, but I wondered does anyone else experience this, and what do you do?
Thanks!

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griffalo2 · 28/08/2011 21:36

Yes,ds is 5.8.hes been sleep walking for last year or so.
Found him once stood behind bedroom door staring at wall.Just a few nights ago he got up about 12,stood in my doorway,shouting at me to stop laughing at him.i was not laughing,i was very freaked out.
I just do what you do,walk him back to bed and quick cuddle.
He only seems to do it if hes gone to bed late(past 9pm)
Have you noticed any triggers?

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 21:57

No triggers as such, just that its more likely to happen if he gets hot. He talks nonsense sometimes too, unrelated to anything I may be saying back to him. I assume its in his dreams, so try not to get too freaked, even if its really weird! I have learnt to make sure the front door is locked when he goes to bed though, because once I hadn't checked it, heard it open and found him on the step completely oblivious. Scary Shock

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 21:58

Does it worry you griffalo? Have you talked to anyone about it?

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greengirl87 · 28/08/2011 22:02

i was a sleep walker when i was younger, my family would quite frequently find me banging around their rooms in the night. i once managed to get downstairs and was looking through the freezer! Who ever found me would just gently guide me back to bed and i never rmembered a thing! I grew out of it in my teens.

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 22:10

Teens! Aaargh, that means this could be going on for years!
I'm glad to hear you did grow out of it, though, was there a trigger for you?

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LargeGlassofRed · 28/08/2011 22:14

My Ds was an awful sleep walker, he appears to have grown out of it now although sleep talks/shouts still.
By far the worse time was when he was 9 he was staying at his dads flat in the docks and managed to sleep walk out if the flat down stairs and through the front door! Right next to the waterfront.
He only woke up when the door slammed behind him!
Also to add to it he was knaked, and could wake his dad up to let him back in, so some people from another flat let him
In and rang the police.
Bloody awful :-(

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BrianKnowsAll · 28/08/2011 22:24

I sleep walked as a child ans still do as an adult on occasions. never remember a thing but aparently my husband just tells me to go back to bed and he'll be up in a bit.
as a child triggers seemed to be if i was nervous about anything, or if anything was different. as an adult i tend to go looking for my husband if he's not in bed.
He says it freaks him out completely as i walk round with my eyes open but totally vacant.
my parents were always advised not to ever wake me up just to lead me back to bed as a sleep walker can get extreamly confused as to where they've ended up and can 'freak out' themselves

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 22:25

Oh, that is awful, your poor DS - and you! At least I heard the door go, and we are very rural here so no water/roads to worry about if he got out again. It was still a shock, so can't imagine what that would have been like for you. And how embarrassing for a 9yo, when they are so uncertain at that age

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thereinmadnesslies · 28/08/2011 22:26

I've been a sleep walker since I was a toddler, although I do it much less frequently now (too tired!).
Being gently led back to bed definitely works well. DH says that I talk in a strange voice and that I am more assertive/aggressive. It seem to go in phases as well, so nothing for a few weeks then a week when I sleepwalk repeatedly.
I would second largeglassofred, I managed to get out of the house as a child too so I would suggest that you look at security.

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 22:32

Thanks, yes I have looked at security at home, and try and keep a wary eye out if we stay somewhere (like Grandparents). Last time we stayed at Mum and Dads, he sleepwalked into the living room where we were all chatting, walked straight towards me as usual, then seemed to hear Mums voice/see her, and veered off straight to her! Everybody was killing themselves laughing, as there was me with my arms out for his cuddle, and he went off to mum! Typical!

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thereinmadnesslies · 28/08/2011 22:35

Sometimes I wake in the morning and I just know that I've been sleepwalking, even though I have no memory of it IYSWIM. It makes me feel a little bit spooked, and if I've been wandering lots I feel really tired. Just something to be aware of ....

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thereinmadnesslies · 28/08/2011 22:36

coffee ha ha typical!

my mum used to use my sleep talking as a way of getting information out of me when I was a teenager. I couldn't lie in my sleep!!

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CoffeeRevel · 28/08/2011 22:42

I'd keep that in mind, therein, except he makes no sense at all if you speak to him :( . I wish I could pump him for info, that would be a great trick to have up my sleeve. I bet your mum found it really useful!

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griffalo2 · 29/08/2011 00:20

I did worry at first,i thought he had emotional problems or something he was having regular night terrors too.
Now sometimes I forget about it in morning too.hes not got outside yet thank god!
How regular does your ds do it?

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greengirl87 · 29/08/2011 09:13

most of the time i was trying to find the toilet whilst asleep.

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