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Sleepwalking
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My 6 year old has been sleepwalking every night for the last 2 weeks. She has done it sporadically ever since we moved her out of the crib. It never has been much of a problem until last night when I woke up to catch her at the front door undoing the locks! Normally she either comes into my bed or wanders the hallway until I find her and walk her back to bed. I have noticed that usually she has to go to the bathroom when she is sleep-walking, but doesn't have a clue where it is or what to do once she is there. It has made for some wet spots in interesting locations. My oldest was also a walker until she had her tonsils removed at age 3 (she's 9 now) and has not done it since. My 6 year old has also had her tonsils removed, and that helped with the frequency until recently. I've tried limiting liquids after suppertime, making sure she goes to the bathroom right before bedtime. Neither has helped. She is happy and doing wonderfully in school. Her dad and I are not having problems in our marriage, her sister adores her, teachers think she is wonderful too. Any suggestions? I'm scared that one night I won't hear her get up and she will end up outside on the highway that runs by our house! Or that it will happen in the dead of winter. Not great in MN!
Posted on 05/16/08, 02:05 pm |
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My son did this too! We put everything he could possibly hurt himself on up out of reach and we also put chain locks on the front and back door so he couldnt get outside. 
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My daughter did this up to the age of 4, she suffered from night terrors too and would walk with them too, a few times she got down the stairs. She suffered with night terrors from the age of 9 months around 3 times a week. We tried everything for a couple of years and it was a friend of mine who made a suggestion to take her and sit her on the toilet (she wasn't night trained when I started this)and let her go. I was amazed that this stopped the terror and the walking straight away.
I did a bit more research and found that sleepwalking and night terrors seem to come from a pressure on the bladder and if that is relieved then the child is fine. Maybe when she wakes you could direct her to the toilet (you say that seems to be where she is heading), let her go and then she should be able to walk to the toilet, relieve herself and back to bed on her own after a few attempts. My daughter is nearly 7 now has has been getting herself up to the toilet in the night for almost 3 years and the sleepwalking and terrors are no more. I have never limited my kids drinks and they also have water bottles in their rooms if they need a drink in the night.
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sometimes I think it's just a short stage they go thru. my son has only sleepwalked once or twice and thankfully it was a harmless episode.
I like the the idea of chain locks on the doors... they have these neat locks that look like ordinary door hinges. and one part flaps over the door and no one's getting in or o out unless they already happen to know about that latch. so if you installed it (you can buy them at the hardware store) and only latch it after the kids are asleep, your 6yo wouldn't know about it and wouldn't ever think of pulling a chair over to unlatch it (while sleepwalking). just a thought. my 6yo is doing some unusual things too with no life changes going on. I just think age 6 if full of changes for them on the "inside."
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Thats really interesting my son is nearly 5 and he has only walked a couple of times in his sleep. The first time he went to the bathroom came back to room peed in the corner and then got in bed. The big give away that he was sleep walking was he is scared of the dark but never turned on every single light! The same happened next time but he peed on the toilet seat and got in with his sister i never realised it was related to needing the toilet but now thats obvious. I lock the door and hang the key out of his reach but where i can get it if necessary.
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you could put up baby monitors in his room or elsewhere in the house.
you could also change your regular deadbolt to a double deadbolt (need a key from both sides to do anything). then just put the key up out of his reach, but still in yours by the door (you never know, might have to get out in a hurry).
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