Body rolling before and during sleep - rythmic movement disorder

[Leish]

Hello All,

When my boy was a baby he started to roll his head before going to sleep and then during sleep when he roused slightly (not waking up). As soon as he could get himself onto his knees (just before he started to crawl) he started to rock back and forth and head butt the end of his cot. And then when he could eventually do it, he started whole body rocking. I have spoken to health visitors about it in the past and they assured me that he would grow out of it by the time he was about 3 and it was unusual to see it after 3 years old.

He's now 3 and 7 months so have made an appointment with the GP with a view to requesting a referral to a sleep specialist.

Was just wondering if anyone's had any experience of similar rhythmic movement disorders? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks -you.

Hi Leish,

Well, I am going to be 40 this year, and I "rock" in my sleep! Not sure if it is the same thing as your DS.

I kind of roll my whole body back and forth, but returning to laying on my side (does this make sense ? )

I think I do it as I just feel restless and it helps me get back off to sleep. I have done it ever since I was a child (as long as I can remember anyway - would have to ask my Mum when I first started doing it!) I was teased about it and it was a bit of a laughing stock in our family. And it gave my hubby a bit of a fright when he first witnessed it .

I definately do not do it as much since reaching adulthood as I did when I was a child. I would say it was definately every night as a child, but might only be once a month / 6 weeks now.

Hope my experience may have reassured you to some degree.

My ds used to move his head from side to side rhythmicly to get to sleep. I can't remember when he stopped but he was still doing it when he started nursery at 3 years 6 months. I think he might have been doing it still when he turned 4 but I'm sure it stopped before he started reception at 4 years 6 months.

Thank you for replying peeps. Oh Balders, you made me laugh! Yes, it does sound exactly the same as what my son does. We've always taken all the necessary safety precautions - bedside, padded side against the wall. When we go away it causes the most fuss because get exasperated with me for wanting to "block" him into wherever he's sleeping. I once found him rolling around on the landing at my mums - he'd made it over the padding we'd put around him! Thankfully there was a stairgate.

I have never worried about it because my husband headbangs and his parents have loads of funny stories about it from when he was little. I've always assumed that he's inherited it from his Dad. The only problem I can see now is that he's developed asthma this year. And we think that the rolling in his sleep is acting as another trigger (he has every trigger going - exercise being one of them) and we think that this is contributing to him waking in the early hours. And also, some nights he is extremely "rolley" and rolls about every 20minutes. The next day he is just dreadfully tired and all over the place emotionally. He starts school in September and I don't know how he will cope with the tiredness after a night like that.

But thanks peeps, it's just good to talk about it and get my thoughts in place before chatting to the doc.