Sleep walking or night terror?

[catchyjem]

My 7 year old son woke up last night and came through to my room ( I was still awake reading) he was crying and inconsolable. I cuddled him asked what's wrong , he didn't seem able to speak except said " I need to...I need to..." then ran to the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush. He walked out still crying and now brushing his teeth! I picked him up, sat on my bed with him on my knee trying to comfort him, but he just kept crying. He let me take the toothbrush but then just got up and went back to his room, climbed back up into bed ( he has a high sleeper) and lay down to go to sleep. I tucked him in, he wasn't crying so much by now. This morning he has no memory of any of it. He just laughed and thought I was making it up. So now I wonder if he was sleep walking or maybe night terror? I have no experience of this so have no idea really?

Sounds like sleep walking. My now 11 year old did this fairly regularly from about 5 until he was about 9 or 10.

I would basically just treat it as half-asleep confusion. I wouldn't try to engage in conversation or want him to speak, just guide him straight back to bed.

If he turned up in the living room looking vacant I'd just gently suggest he maybe woke for the toilet, guide him back up the stairs, ask if he wanted a wee and open the bathroom door, otherwise just guide him back to bed, kiss nan night and that's it.

As my son got older I learnt to not even mention it to him the next day. He started getting embarrassed about it and could never remember anything anyway. So I just got him straight back to bed sd quickly and efficiently as poss.

Just make sure doors are locked and cannot be inadvertently opened by a sleep walker. My DS opened a dead lock and went out of front door, shutting door behind him,fortunately we used to turn the key in the outer porch door - but he was stuck in porch!

Thanks for the replies. I won't mention it to him again now or if he does it again. I just didn't really realise it was sleepwalking at first. It was his lack of memory of it that got me wondering. I'll make sure the house is extra safe from now on. Luckily our front door needs a key to get out and the back door has a high bolt.