Is this sleepwalking?

[chelseamorning]

My DS is 2 and for some months now, he has gone from being a fairly good sleeper to now having sleeping problems. Can't explain why.

We put him to bed and then 5 mins or so later, he gets up and stands at the top of the stairs by the stair gate. He doesn't say anything but sometimes bangs the gate. He doesn't cry at all and often just lies on the floor. We go up and gently encourage him back to bed. He's always calm about it all and very compliant. He/we may have to do this 5 times or so each night.

Sometimes he'll go down first time for a number of nights and then have problems settling down again. (We did notice that he slept perfectly around the last full moon!!!!!! )

Once asleep, he generally stays asleep until around 6-7am.

We initially thought he was just being naughty but then I found out that my brother and sister, and various cousins, used to sleepwalk as toddlers.

What do you think? Does it sound like he's sleepwalking?

bump

Anyone? Please?

Im no expert at sleepwalking, but i would think to amount to sleep walking, he would have to be asleep, is he asleep and walking around?

Also i would imagine when sleepwalking, although your eyes would be open you would be acting quite confused.

My ds sleepwalks, though he is older (8). He looks awake, and he will speak but it's usually utter gibberish. He will generally talk about whatever is on his mind at that moment. Dd will tell me that her brother "has been roaming around again", it's always before dh and I come to bed. He goes back to bed on his own and can't remember doing it. However, if I talk to him while he's doing it he will ignore me totally, and won't hear what I say. (But then again, that could just be an 8 year old boy thing.)

i think it is sleepwalking my ds used to do this esp if ill or needing wee.actually, woke him from sofa other night and got up and was calling for his gf[bless]who wasn't there,then got a cold next day!He'is 17 now but did it most in toddler years. Once he ran into lounge and turned telly off!!!

After 5 mins or so he could be asleep. He's going to bed fairly tired, rubbing his eyes, making loud sleepy noises etc. I've read a couple of threads on MN which suggest that sleepwalking can happen fairly soon after going to bed. Just not sure if this is too soon in DS's case.

When he walks around, he looks awake, will answer you if you ask him a simple question but won't answer in any depth (as he would say during the day).

He's very calm and compliant which he wouldn't be if we were putting him to bed when he wasn't ready to go to sleep.

I don't know. I guess we'll go with the flow for a while.

I suppose a good test would be to try and wake him up?

should add,over all the times over the years he's never renembered it in am

should also add has never come to any harm,used to just hover by door mainly in vague manner,i used to guide him back to bed.if i asked him if he needed wee sometimes he would nod,do wee,then back to bed

Thanks for the replies.

My brother and cousin, who both used to sleepwalk as toddlers, had near misses with hanging from the banisters, trying to jump down the stairs (a la Spiderman) etc.

I know it's fairly common so it's interesting to hear of other people's experiences. If my DS is sleepwalking, then I'd like to ensure I do all I can to keep him safe at night.

yes,i used to jump out of bed at slightist noise
was in bungalow till age 7