Sleepwalking

occurs when the brain has difficulty in making the transition from non-REM to REM sleep, the sleep stage in which dreaming occurs. Sleepwalking usually happens sometime during the first three hours of sleep. Some children get up and walk aimlessly around the house, for a few seconds to thirty minutes. The child’s eyes are usually open she’ll seem in a daze, and in the morning usually will not remember the incident. Some children just sit up in bed and although they seem to be awake, they’re actually asleep. Sleepwalking runs in families; other causes include fatigue and sleep loss. The problem usually surfaces during the preschool and elementary school years and is outgrown by adolescence. Sleepwalking is not a sign of an emotional illness; of more concern is the risk of injury. Children have been known to fall down stairs, bump into objects or even leave the house. Therefore it’s important for parents of children who may sleepwalk to make sure the house is safe, such as locking doors, placing gates at stairs, etc. For some children, a brief late afternoon nap and reducing stress is helpful. In severe cases anti-anxiety medication may change the sleep pattern

Questions and Answers

How do we know if a child is getting enough sleep?

There are individual differences in the amount of sleep that children need. Pediatricians say that on the average, children between 2 and 3 need about twelve or thirteen hours of sleep including naps; 4 and 5-year-olds need about ten to twelve hours. If your child is getting several hours of either more or less sleep than is the average for her age, she may have a sleep problem. Does she seem well rested or cranky during the day? Is her behavior and her mood different when she has more sleep? Changes in her sleep routines may be necessary.

Why is getting to bed such a long, drawn-out process for some children?

For children bedtime means separation from parents and the activity of the day, moving away from excitement and stimulation into the darkness and loneliness. Especially for children who have not learned how to get themselves to sleep, prolonging bedtime routines is a way of fending off isolation. But remember every child needs limits and will benefit from knowing there are firm boundaries on bedtime routines.

If you just let your child cry it out, won’t this make bedtime even scarier?

Sometimes letting the child cry it out gives him the opportunity to learn to fall asleep on his own. But for some children it can be a traumatic experience. If this happens and your child seems frightened, stay at her side until she dozes off. Just be there, and eventually when she’s more relaxed and secure you’ll be able to leave her while she’s still awake.

My baby doesn’t just have difficulty sleeping. He’s fussy and hard to soothe when he’s awake. Is this the way he’s going to be? Is it my fault? Am I doing something wrong?

Babies are born with different temperaments. Some cry a lot, some are quiet, some sleep on a fairly regular schedule, others wake at irregular hours. Some babies are constantly wriggling; others lie in their cribs quietly for long periods of time. Some babies are born with a tendency toward certain moods and styles of reacting to people in specific ways. This style of reacting to the world is called temperament. Some children quickly establish routines; some react slowly, and others are often fussy and irregular in their feeding and sleeping habits. No matter what the child’s temperament, harmony between mother and child is what’s important. Tuning in to your child’s specific temperament is what’s basic in getting him to establish regular habits.

Don’t you avoid a lot of problems if you let your child sleep in your bed?

Recently, there’s been a lot of interest in the idea of the “family bed,” which is common in many cultures. Some parents feel secure and close when they have their babies and small children sleeping with them. A problem with this arrangement is that it’s difficult to decide when to move the child to his own sleeping area. Those who advocate babies sleeping by themselves feel this arrangement helps the baby learn to soothe himself and to fall asleep on his own. Each family has to decide what works best for them.

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