How Does Sleepwalking Occur?

QUESTION: Until we began experiencing sleep walking episodes with our own
son, we thought those stories were pretty funny and exaggerated. Now we know
for ourselves how upsetting it can be. Would you please discuss this problem
for us and suggest how we may deal with it?
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ANSWER: As frightening as it may seem now, the good news is that this common
childhood problem usually disappears as the child grows, and has no serious
consequences. Somnambulism (sleep walking) is grouped with a number of other
conditions involving partial arousal from sleep called parasomnias and is the
result of central nervous system activity expressed in actions such as
walking. They may last as long as 30 minutes, but generally are finished in a
few minutes. Ranging from simply sitting up in bed, to actions that include
eating, opening doors, a stop at the bathroom for bodily functions, to actual
strolls around the house, the child rarely remembers all that happened when
awakening in the morning. It starts in children at about 4 years of age, and
reaches its peak in the 11 to 12 year old range, when up to 16% of children
may have one or more episodes. Frequently it runs in families where deep,
sound sleep is common. It occurs more frequently when the patient is
fatigued, after long periods without sleep, or strenuous physical activity, or
the use of alcohol or sedatives. Frequently it is precipitated by a
frightening dream. As parents you should try to discover the types of
experiences or activity that may take place during the day preceding sleep
walking episodes. Then take steps to avoid these circumstance. The second
and most important task is to provide a safe sleeping environment for your
son. Make sure windows and doors are locked, and that sharp objects,
particularly glass, are removed from the room. Sleeping quarters at ground
level are advisable if possible. Don't try to awaken a sleep walker, but
gently lead them back to bed. Some medications, such as imipramine and the
benzodiazepines, are helpful in suppressing the stages of sleep in which
somnambulism occur, but can produce a hangover on the next day. All
medications must be administered with the counsel of a physician, are not
recommended in younger children or for prolonged use, and only in cases where
the situation is severe and there is great risk for injury. If research
statistics are correct, this strange activity will disappear by itself before
your son is much older.