My Child Sleepwalks: Is There a Cure?

The first time you realized your child was sleepwalking was when you found them up and wandering around the house, with a blank expression, a couple of hours after you’d tucked them in for the night. You gently redirected them back to bed, and that was that.  

Until it happened again — and again and again. 

At The Center for Advanced Pediatrics, we know that childhood sleep challenges are top of mind for most parents at some point, especially when the issue is more worrisome, like sleepwalking. 

From sleep training to sleepwalking

Sleep is a frequent topic of conversation at well-child visits through the ages. Early on, parents often want to know when their baby might start sleeping through the night. Over time, questions often revolve around sleep schedules and sleep-training methods.

By preschool age, sleep issues like behavioral insomnia (e.g., difficulty falling asleep without a parent present) rise to the top of the parental concern list — along with emerging parasomnias such as sleepwalking.     

Childhood sleepwalking is common

Many people experience a parasomnia — or an undesirable experience or behavior that can arise when falling asleep, during sleep, or while waking up — at some point in life. Parasomnias that commonly affect children include:

• Nightmares and sleep terrors 
• Bedwetting (sleep enuresis)
• Talking or crying while asleep
• Waking up feeling confused

Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is one of the most common childhood parasomnias. It happens during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, or when the brain “gets stuck” in the shifting phase between being awake and being asleep. 

A closer look at sleepwalking events

Sleepwalking episodes typically take place within an hour or two of falling asleep — either soon after bedtime, or in the middle of the night after an awakening. Essentially, their brain is partly asleep, yet awake enough for their body to be active.  

“Awake,” but unresponsive 

A sleepwalking child’s eyes are open, but blank. They won’t respond to their name or recognize you the same way they do when they’re awake. They may mumble nonsensical words, and they won’t remember the episode in the morning.

From sitting to wandering

While sleepwalking is most commonly associated with getting out of bed and roaming around the house, these parasomnia events can also involve:

• Sitting up in bed with a glassy-eyed stare
• Unusual activities (eating a snack) 
• Repetitive acts (opening and closing doors)
• Improper behaviors (urinating in a closet) 
• Dangerous wanderings (going outside) 

While sitting up in bed is harmless, navigating complex physical environments while not fully awake can diminish a child’s coordination. Risks run the gamut, from stumbling over furniture and bumping into walls to falling down the stairs or meandering into the street. 

Most children outgrow sleepwalking 

Given its inherent risk of injury — especially for children who may navigate stairs, open windows, or go outdoors — most parents want to know if there’s a way to definitively stop their child’s nighttime wanderings. 

Unfortunately, there’s no medical cure for sleepwalking. 

The good news? Sleepwalking peaks between ages 4 and 12, with most kids fully outgrowing the problem by their teens. In the meantime, there’s a lot you can do to reduce the frequency of episodes and keep your child safe when they do sleepwalk.  

Fewer sleepwalking episodes

A disruption to the sleep cycle triggers most sleepwalking episodes. The top trigger? Being overtired from lack of sleep. Stress, anxiety, illness, changes in routine, and unfamiliar sleep environments can also trigger sleepwalking. 

Sleepwalking prevention focuses on improving sleep hygiene by establishing a consistent bedtime and a relaxing, screen-free nighttime routine (e.g., a warm bath, reading) in a quiet, comfortable environment. 

Safer sleepwalking episodes

Sleepwalking events may last a few minutes or longer than half an hour. Keeping your child safe during an episode starts with a “sleepwalking-proofed” environment. 

Secure doors and windows with deadbolts, and consider adding alarms to doors and windows that have been opened in the past. If you have stairs, install baby gates at both the top and bottom. 

Keep their bedroom and hallway generally free of tripping hazards, such as electrical cords and toys. If they have a bunk bed, they should always sleep on the bottom bunk.

Gently guide your sleepwalker 

Don’t try to wake your sleepwalking child; any attempt to rouse them can startle, frighten, disorient, or agitate them. Instead, gently guide them back to bed. 

When to seek care for sleepwalking

Most of the time, sleepwalking is something parents can successfully manage at home until their child outgrows it. See their pediatrician if the problem:

• Occurs multiple times a week
• Involves dangerous behaviors
• Makes them act aggressively
• Causes severe daytime fatigue 
• Begins during their teen years 

To schedule a sleep consultation with our team at The Center for Advanced Pediatrics, contact your nearest office in Norwalk or Darien, Connecticut, by phone or online today.