If your child wanders the house at night, it may prevent both of you from getting a good night's sleep. Sleepwalking is fairly common in children and happens to about 15 percent of kids at some point during childhood, according to BabyCenter.com in the article "Sleepwalking." Adult treatment for sleepwalking may include hypnosis, but it is not generally used in children. Instead, preventing your child from sleepwalking may help you and your child get a better night's sleep.
Step 1
Rule out other underlying conditions that may cause sleepwalking, like sleep apnea, suggests MayoClinic.com. Sleep apnea occurs when an individual does not take even, deep breaths while sleeping. If your child has sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine that helps give your child air throughout the night.
Step 2
Guide your child back to bed carefully without waking him up. Waking your child may cause him to remember the episode the next day and become anxious about sleeping, according to BabyCenter.com.
Step 3
Keep a journal of when your child's sleepwalking generally occurs at night. If the amount of time that passes between putting your child to bed and the sleepwalking episode is consistent, wake your child about 15 minutes before she usually sleepwalks. Keep your child awake for five minutes, then allow her to go to sleep again, MayoClinic.com notes.
Step 4
Stick to a regular bedtime routine by putting your child to bed at the same time each night to prevent sleepwalking. Do not allow your child to take long naps throughout the day and instruct him to empty his bladder completely before going to sleep. Sticking to this routine may help keep your child from sleepwalking at night, according to the article "Sleepwalking" on medical website KidsHealth.org.
Step 5
Keep the house quiet while your child is sleeping. Loud music, TV or any other disturbances may interrupt your child's sleep, causing her to sleepwalk. Playing the television at a low volume may help keep your child in bed.
Tips and Warnings
- If your child sleeps on a bunk bed, place him on the bottom bunk to prevent him from falling in his sleep.
- Consult a doctor if your child injures herself when she sleepwalks.
