What to do about Megan??? She is 12 and has decided to do weird things in her sleep. It started late fall when I heard "something" walking across our gravel driveway, and when Cale looked outside she was getting in our van!!! It was about 11pm and she had walked in her sleep and opened the front door and walked to the van. She thought we were leaving she said, but realized when she opened the van door what had happened. Then a few nights ago she woke up n her sister's bed with no idea how she got there. Yesterday she told me she got up at 10:20 pm and got completely ready for school!! Dressed, made her bed and everything. Then she looked at her clock and realized that it wasn't time to get up!!

I am afraid to go to sleep at night for fear of what she will do next. We ahve put extra locks on all the doors, and set chairs and things in front of them (hoping it will make a racket if she bumps into them) We also put things in her doorway after she is asleep so if she gets up and isn't awake we will hear her. I am wondering what causes this and how to stop it????

She is a happy child, funny, mature, loves school and has lots of friends, if that has anything to do with it. What I am trying to say is she is not unhappy or worried about anything, but she seems a bit embarrassed about all of these things and laughs when she tells us. Especially about getting ready for school at 10:00 in the evening! Any advice???

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 06, 2002

Answers

Melissa,

When I was in grade school I use to sleep walk and then suddenly quit. Then, when I was in highschool, my Mom got up one morning and found several pictures had been removed from the walls and were sitting in various places in our living room. That was the last time I ever sleep walked.

Sorry not to have an answer for you but hope it might be a bit reassuring for you to know that nothing was wrong with me during any of those times. No illness, no stress, it just seems to run in our family - had cousins that did that too.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

I used to sleepwalk as a kid,, by mother made me go to bed with shoes on,, and would tie the laces together,, apparently,, not being able to move around in my sleep, because of the resticed movement,, stopped my sleepwalking,, slept with tied lacces for 2 weeks,, and that was that

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 06, 2002.

If the shoes don't work maybe a motion sensitive light with an electric socket for pluging in a loud radio or alarm?

You could turn the switch it to activate it, once she is asleep.

-- Rick (Soouthwest West Virginia) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

I have walked in my sleep almost my whole life, I know I still do, but living alone it is hard to tell how often. When I was a child it would scare the heck out of my Parents that I would hurt myself somehow, well I have never got hurt but I have done some strange things. I think when you sleep walk your subconouise (SP?) will keep you out of trouble which may explain why your Daughter may have woke up when she opened the door to the van.

When I was living at home my Parents would always warn any overnight guest of my odd habits so they would not scare them if I came walking into their romm in the middle of the night. Once when I was about 12 my mother had a friend from out of town spending the weekend and in the middle of the night I walked into her room and stood at the end of the bed and grabed her foot thru the blankets and shook it and she screamed bloody murder, whenmy Mother heard her scream she had a pretty good idea that it was probably me and came to her rescue and led me back to my bed, when I woke in the morning I had no memorey of my nights adventure.

As I remember my Parents spoke to the Family Doctor about my Sleep Walking and he said not to worry it would pass and 35 years later it still has not passed yet. I have known of othr kids who have walked in there sleep and as far as I know they all grew out of it.

Oh and one more thing I also eat in my sleep, I wake up in the morning and find a half eaten sandwich or a bowl on the table.

-- Mark in N.C. Fla. (deadgoatman@webtv.net), February 06, 2002.

The first time we caught our son sleep walking was when he was 3 years old and going out the back door on a below 0 night. We put a lock up high and that ended that. About the time he was 12 he'd come out of his room and sit there and watch TV. We'd say go back to bed Josh and he'd grouchily say "I will as soon as this show is over". After a couple more mins. we'd say "ok, the shows over, good night" and off he'd go. Then one night he ran clear through our little town (maybe 8 blocks) to his aunts house. He thought aliens were chasing him. He woke up as he got to her house and didn't want to scare her so sat on the step until he caught his breath and ran back home. Another night when he was about 17 he was camping on a lake with friends. Woke up and found himself in the middle of a bean field. Dark as pitch so he walked to where he saw a yard light. Ended up being 1/2 mile from the campsite. Another night he climbed out his bedroom window looking for the van of the electrician he worked for. He knew the guy was going to kill him because he had lost the van but woke up and went back to bed. He now drives semi over the road sometimes and I worry about his taking off in his truck sound asleep. When I mentioned it to him he told me he hides his keys in different places hoping he'll not know where hes put them......sigh

So, in all of that I have no help except to say; we about decided he walked in his sleep when he was over tired. As long as he kept rested, which is not the way of teenagers, he seldom got up.

I also think it scares parents to death but he has never gotten hurt nor hurt anyone so I wonder if subconsciously they are careful of any danger.

It is worrisome and I hope she outgrows it before too long. Rick's suggestion of the motion light sounds feasible. Wish I'd have thought of it years ago.

Good luck!

-- Anna in Iowa (countryanna54@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

I have friend who sometimes sleep walks. He says it is a direct result of being over tired. It got so bad at one point, they installed one of those door bell type things that shop owners have to let them know when someone comes into the store ---- only in his case it was to let them know when he went OUT of the house at night. He was almost mistakenly shot for a burglar(sp?)one night. As long as he gets an afternon siesta, it is not much of a problem.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), February 06, 2002.

Maybe childproof the house, again. That way, you know she'll be moderately safe if she should wake, and put a latch at the top of the doors to the outside. As long as she can't get outside and there is nothing inside to hurt her, she ought to be allright, right?

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), February 07, 2002.

Melissa---I first caught our daughter sleep walking before she was 3 years old----she is now over 30 & has 3 children of her own & still sleep walks /as well as do two of her sons---the baby isn't old enough yet---- We had all sorts of things that made noise----because back when she was young there were not those light or movement sensors--- We bought the bells for each of their doors that I had at my shop that go over the door & when a door is opened the bell makes a noise-- -Our daughter seemed to do it when she was the most tired & was lacking in rest---& I think it is still when her hubby notices it the most--- just love & understanding & now since there are motion & light sensors & night lights & all of those sorts of things---use them!! Best wishes I do understand!!!! When Our daughter was younger & we had a lot going on-- I would always have her lay down & rest after lunch or in the early evening for a nap if she could----what ever so it didn't keep her from going to sleep at night--or to bed early as she was able with activities--- & we let her sleep in when she was able to!!! Again I truely understand---my daughter now says /but what do I do with the boys-who sleep walk??? I have been told it is a family thing that sometimes runs in families---I use to sleep walk---still do sometimes & talk in my sleep & I'm over 50!! And hubby works nights most of the time----I usually wake up when I get outside---or walk into ice or snow!! ha!! Plus I have started letting the dog sleep in my room---she always wakes me up--if I'm sleep walking!!! Best wishes!!!

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), February 07, 2002.

Cale also was a sleepwalker as a child, now he is a talker and a tosser/turner! My sister had several sleep-walking incidents too.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 07, 2002.