A question about sleepwalking please

[CarofromWton]

My DD1 (10) has always talked in her sleep and more recently has started sleepwalking. This didn't worry me too much as I usually hear her and gently guide her back to bed. She doesn't recall it happening the next morning.

However, Friday night I heard her talking away so I got up and discovered her wandering aimlessly around the landing (it's a large landing and she was all over it) muttering to herself. I took her back to bed, but it occurred to me that she may have wandered near the staircase and fallen downstairs.

Does anyone else have experience of their child sleepwalking and could this happen? Although we haven't got stairgates anymore I have started putting a chair at the entrance of DD's bedroom once she's asleep to stop her going too far.

I would be grateful for your thoughts.

My ds1 (almost 8) sleepwalks. He went through a phase recently of sleepwalking every night for 2 weeks. During this 2 weeks he was falling alseep really late (about 10.45pm) and then started sleepwalking about an hour later. We figured he was doing this because he was tired (we homeschool by the way, so don't have to get up realy early). We deiced that the relaxed bedtime approach doesn't work with him, so now have a lights out by 9 and aleep before 10 approach works better as he is often asleep way before 10 and he's stopped sleepwalking. He still does this on the odd occasion where he gets a late night or very early start, but it is better than every night and having to stay up waiting for him to wonder around for fear of him falling down the stairs.

I really wouldn't leave an enexpected chair in her path - more likely to cause accidents imo.

I was a right sleep walker - all round house bedrooms, bathroom etc - never had a accident - eyes are open just not quite there!!!

Hi caro - no, never fell on the stairs.
I blame it on the late nights really! Says he is asleep but I hear his music!