Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Sleepwalking

This post may be disjointed. I have a lot of thoughts on this.

I wonder how many of your kids sleepwalk. I wonder if it is related to health issues, or future health (or sleep) issues.

My 6 year old came down the stairs last night, spoke to me, and let me carry her back to bed - - all while sleeping. It scared me a little. She spoke to me but never looked me in the eye. She was apparently confused that she couldn't find the "door" she was looking for.

I read a bit about it today and in doing so, had memories of my parents talking to each other about my own sleepwalking. I also have sleep issues. I attributed these sleep issues to my dd's sleep problems at birth (she had damage to the sleep centers of her brain). We worked w/a DAN doc, did all the biomedical treatments and she is fine today (more than fine - thanks to that wonderful doctor whom I love like my own father.)

But it's interesting how this is all related somehow. And I realize that my own sleep issues did not really begin with the birth of dd, but only escalated then. I worry that she will carry some kind of sleep problem with her throughout life. frown

All unnecessary worries, I know.

I guess I really just wonder if this is more common among the gifted population.

Isn't it amazing how your own kids really bring up all your own "stuff"?

I found my 6 yo sleepwalking twice this summer. Otherwise she is a pretty good sleeper.

I do not think I ever had sleepwalking issues, though I am not 100% about her father.

Ren

My DD6 does sleepwalk from time to time -- I did as a child as well.

DD5 has gone outside before. Luckily we have an alarm system. It beeps when a door opens. She sleepwalks often... I would say at least once a month. She has also always been a terrible sleeper...

DD9, who is HG, sleeps like a rock and has never had this issue.

I suspect DD5 is GT as well, we just haven't done testing with her yet.

So, is it a gifted thing? I don't know. I have one that does it, one that doesn't.

Sleepwalking is much more common than you'd think, in both gifted and non-gifted children.

My 6 year-old son did so once as well.

Being overtired tends to make sleep disorders (walking, night terrors, etc) worse.

DD11 has been sleepwalking since she was a toddler. It used to be more frequent. Now we only see it when she is sleep deprived and stressed (they tend to go hand in hand). No sleepwalking with my other two. All three are gifted.

I have spoken to our ped about this because DD was having very bad night terrors (different from night mares). She told me that sleep walking, sleep talking, night terrors are all hereditary. Chances are someone in your family sleep walks. DD does all 3 (not the night terrors any more though.) She also said that it tends to go in cycles. Will happen often for a while, then disappear for possible months on end, then return without warning. Nothing to be worried about, as long as she is safe.

I was a sleepwalker at times- got outside once and scared the living daylights out of my mom...

Nick had sleepwalking, night terrors, and sleep talking all around 10mos-14 mos. Now very infrequently- it seemed to coincide with major developmental milestones/increased physical activity and definitely overtiredness too.

He's never been a 'great' sleeper.

Just updating this old thread with my own experience with DS2.11, who sleep walks and talks pretty much nightly. He wakes (or exhibits partial wakings) multiple times each night; likely 3-4 times. He will crawl in bed, rub his eyes, fiddle with his pyjamas, roll around, and talk. DS and I cosleep, but I spend the first part of the night with DH after DS settles, after which point DS usually sleep walks in to find me.

He has literally done this since birth. It wasn't until recently that I discovered that somnambulism incorporates more behaviours than walking!

I am a frequent sleep talker and infrequent sleep walker, with the latter usually happening during periods of exhaustion.

We have recently experienced sleepwalking for the first time in BOTH children. It did freak me out a little in terms of safety concerns--we camp, travel, the kids sleep over, etc. Sleepwalking and night terrors are hereditary, and connected to being overtired, but there is also a link to stress and anxiety. If you start to see this in your child, or an uptick, it's worth asking about any issues going on. A recent study found a link between being bullied and sleepwalking.