Trying to make DT2 safe at night

[lock951753]

Have NC for this.

I have 2.5yo DT's. This evening we've just put a tiny lock, similar to the ones that you might use on the inside of a toilet cubicle, on the outside of their bedroom door.

We've done this because DT2 is a sleepwalker (multiple times a night) and during the night got up and went into the living room, climbed up on the shelves, slipped and fell to the floor, luckily didn't hurt himself, from the things that fell off the shelf I think he must have been 3 or 4 up. We woke up to a crash as things fell of the shelf as he did at 3am.

We have childproofed as much as possible and have baby gates on the kitchen door and a lock on the outside of the bathroom that we shut at night but in the living area it's all open plan so there is no way we can put safety barriers to protect him. The only other way we could assure his safety would be to remove all furniture and have a totally empty lounge/diner.

The DT's bedroom is next to ours so if either cries we hear them and we would never use it for punishment or getting them to go to sleep, thankfully they are good at that, I would also never leave them to cry. We will only use it after we go to bed for a safety precaution for DT2.

DH and I thought this was the best option but talking to a friend this afternoon and she was horrified.

What else are we supposed to do, sit in shifts outside their room through the night? I don't think my friend realises how lucky we were that he didn't fall badly and hurt himself.

AWBU to have done this?

Totally not understanding the anti lock sentiment. But then my dh fell out if a first floor window sleep walking 20 years ago and has still got the scars

I can see no problem with using a lock. It seems eminently sensible

The reason the Fire Service are very clear about not putting locks on children's doors isn't because the parents will take longer to open it in the event of a fire - it's because, in the event of a fire it will slow down the firefighter who has no idea it is there when trying to save your child/ren.

Trying to find a small lock, in incredibly limited visibility, then undoing it whilst wearing thick gloves is nigh on impossible. It takes time - which is the one thing people in fires don't have.

Breaking down locked doors also takes time. In both these situations children have very little time.

Gates are far safer as they are far more visible, can be pulled out, stepped over or opened in seconds.

Locks are an incredibly bad idea.

We used a hook and eye lock on our dds' bedroom door for a long time - at night to stop dd2 potentially wandering around at night, out of the bedroom and plunging to her death down our steep stairs that are right outside the door; and during the day if the children were playing up there to stop dd2 from trying to come down said stairs by herself.

During the day it meant that any older children weren't responsible for noticing she was leaving the room (they were never that much older, but even if they had been...) and at night we were always planning on rescuing the children before leaving the burning building, so what was the difference.

Oh, and we used a potty at night. Sorry.

Perhaps if the door had iron bars and five point deadlocks but a light bathroom lock would take one firm shoulder to break and open

how scary for you. Ithink your friend is overreacting. people use locks all the time when the alternative is worse... eg child locks in the car, child restrains in the car that children can not undo.

people are worried that your child might die because you can not get them out. the likelihood of this is less than your child causing an incident that he might die/be seriously injured in/ cause injury to the family by doing something downstairs.

we also iused a potty at night when they were small/in strange places as it meant they had chance to get to the loo independently and were not wandering around a holiday home or something.

Short term could you pop him back in a cot

I have a disabled child, his bedroom door has two door handles one normal one and one up high. You have to open both at the same time and both has illuminated tape on to show up at night, before this I used an alarm mat placed at the door.

The night was fine DH & I both slept easier knowing he couldn't get out and hurt himself. We always get up 30 minutes before them so we unlocked it when we got up and they got up as usual.

lovelyhorse DH also has scars where he has jumped out of a window (through the glass) when sleepwalking and BIL broke his arm doing similar. This is the thing that worries me about DS's sleepwalking. In the family they tend to be on the severe end of sleepwalking and it's very scary.

I wouldnt put alarms up as walking someone suddenly thats sleepwalking is dangerous I would make sure bookshelf is secured to the wall same with any other large units etc so they cant topple over and use a baby monitor so it alerts you

Waking not walking^

Yes all units, shelves and chest of drawers are fixed to the wall.

Glad to hear the night was fine and that you and DH managed to get some sleep :)

Considering the family history of severe sleepwalking and injury I think you are right to do whatever you need to do to minimise risk to your DS. Good luck :)

Thanks chester

I wouldnt put alarms up as walking someone suddenly thats sleepwalking is dangerous

This is a myth.
Its also very difficult to wake a sleepwalker.

Also you can buy pads where the alarm goes off in your room if it's stood on but not in the child's room. Not sure where you get them from though.

Ds2 is an occasional night terror sleep walker. Luckily he's very noisy and has all but grown out of it. Nothing wakes him up though when it's happening

A small bolt attached to the outside of the door could be burst open by an adult in about 2 seconds.

We use a hook and eye on the outside of ds1's door to keep ds2 out when ds1 isn't there (door latch doesn't catch securely). I can tell you from experience that an adult opening the door with even normal force will bust that open. I do it by mistake at least twice a week.

the alarm I linked would do.

It has a number of annoying tunes, but can also be set to go "ding-dong" like a doorbell. It has three volume settings. I would screw the detector head to the wall or top of the doorframe, where it will not be knocked but you can turn it off during the day. For some reason, receiver battery life is much better with alkalines than rechargeables, but the detector seems OK with either.

I hope you get a solution my sympathies op my sister is a/sleep walker always has been she is her fourtys, now my parents used to catch trying to get out of the front door she has got into all sorts of scrapes over the years ended up in the middle of a field on a guide camp ,