Sleepwalking in adults. Sleepwalking in children: possible causes and treatment of an unusual condition

Everyone has probably heard about sleepwalkers and sleepwalking (sleepwalking). But still, many believe that it is rare and dangerous. mental illness. In fact, sleepwalking in most cases does not indicate health problems and often goes away on its own. But sometimes the help of doctors is still needed.

Sleepwalking or sleepwalking(scientifically somnambulism) is a sleep disorder that most often occurs in children between the ages of 4 and 12. One in four children had at least one episode of sleepwalking during their lifetime. For some children, sleepwalking recurs regularly.

Manifestations of sleepwalking

Sleepwalking is characterized by the performance of complex, sometimes stereotypical actions that a person performs without waking up and not realizing what he is doing. For example, a child can draw in his sleep, just rock back and forth while sitting on the bed, or walk around the apartment. Moreover, all these actions are performed with open eyes, and it may seem that the baby is not sleeping.

Sleepwalking usually occurs within the first two hours after falling asleep and ends with a return to bed or falling asleep elsewhere. After waking up, all the events of the night are completely forgotten.

It is believed that waking a child during an episode of sleepwalking should be done only in case of emergency (for example, in case of danger), as this can frighten him. However, if you try to wake up a sleepwalker, you will realize that it is not so easy.

Risk factors and provocateurs

According to doctors, somnambulism in children is a manifestation of immaturity. nervous system a growing body that goes away on its own with age (usually sleepwalking completely disappears by puberty). However, there are special factors that contribute to the appearance and frequency of episodes of sleepwalking.

First of all, it is heredity. Somnambulism is usually a family trait (most likely, one of the parents suffered from this disorder in childhood). Can cause sleepwalking psychological condition child (stress, anxiety, overwork).

Cases of sleepwalking at high body temperature, as well as when taking certain drugs (for example, sleeping pills and antihistamines) and alcohol (even in small quantities), are described.

Features of diagnostics

If you suspect sleepwalking in your child, you should consult a doctor - a pediatric neurologist or a somnologist. To establish a diagnosis, it is necessary not only to have the fact of walking in a dream, but also a violation of consciousness during this episode. A disturbance of consciousness in this case means that the child does not respond to the speech addressed to him during sleepwalking.

Other important features are difficulty waking the child, complete or partial amnesia of a nocturnal episode, potentially dangerous activities(for example, trying to go out the window). If these symptoms are absent, then most likely it is not sleepwalking, but some other violation.

Sometimes somnambulism can be a manifestation of epilepsy (in 3% of cases), so an EEG (electroencephalography) is indispensable when making a diagnosis. Night video EEG monitoring may be required, which will allow a more detailed understanding of what happens to brain activity at night.

AT difficult cases(for example, if abnormal activity is detected on the EEG or focal symptoms on a neurological examination), an MRI of the brain may be required to rule out a neoplasm.

Prevention and treatment of sleepwalking

After the diagnosis is established, the first step is to talk with the parents. In most cases, the doctor will explain that somnambulism is a benign sleep disorder that will resolve with age and in itself does not pose any harm to the child's health.

An important point in the prevention of sleepwalking is sleep hygiene, namely compliance with the sleep schedule, sleeping in a comfortable environment (in silence and darkness), a ban on the use of products that stimulate the nervous system before bedtime (coffee, strong tea, chocolate).

If sleepwalking episodes do occur, then it is necessary to ensure the safety of your child (for example, remove all sharp objects and objects that can fall and break, open glass doors, etc.).

Unfortunately, in some situations, treatment is indispensable. Usually drugs are prescribed for prolonged and frequent episodes of sleepwalking and potentially dangerous sleepwalking behavior. As a rule, benzodiazepines (nitrazepam and clonazepam) are prescribed in courses.

However, most often, sleepwalking is a harmless and temporary phenomenon. And to be sure of this for sure, consult a doctor. Be healthy!

Maria Meshcherina

Photo istockphoto.com

Sleepwalking has medical name- somnambulism. This word is translated from Latin as "walking in a dream." The second name for this pathology is “sleepwalking”. It is worth noting that sleepwalking has nothing to do with the moon. Perhaps the name of the disease was due to the fact that sleepwalking in most cases occurs during bright moonlit nights.

Somnambulism is a sleep disorder, the main symptom of which is unconscious walking in a dream. Pathology manifests itself quite often. Every 50th person suffers from it. The disease is usually observed in children whose age is from 4 to 12-16 years. How to get rid of sleepwalking, what are the symptoms of the disease, what is the cause of its development, and how is it diagnosed?

What causes sleepwalking?

As mentioned earlier, in most cases, it is children who suffer from sleepwalking. This pathology is especially common in boys. Perhaps, children's sleepwalking (treatment of this disease, as it turned out, is possible) is associated with instability and underdevelopment of the central nervous system.

In addition, you can walk in a dream for other reasons: emotional shocks, quarrels, scandals, watching TV or playing on the computer before bed. All these factors excite the nervous system, and it simply does not have time to tune in to a night's rest.

Important! Sleepwalking companions are often other pathologies - a syndrome restless legs, enuresis, diabetes, arrhythmia, nervous tics, intrusive thoughts, asthma, sleep apnea, etc.

Sleepwalking in adults develops for the following reasons:

• taking antihistamines, narcotic, sleeping pills, painkillers, as well as tranquilizers and neuroleptics;
• neuroses;
• panic attacks;
• migraine;
• epilepsy;
• chronic lack of sleep;
• tumor and other diseases of the brain;
• asthma attacks at night;
• stress;
• Parkinson's disease;
• diabetes;
• apnea;
• overeating before bed;
• senile dementia;
• taking alcohol before bed and taking drugs;
• traumatic brain injury;
• arrhythmia in severe form;
• magnesium deficiency in the body (is the result of poor nutrition).

Based on the stories of relatives of people who walked in a dream, it was found that quite often lunatics harm themselves and those around them. Sometimes unknowingly murders are committed. After waking up, a person does not remember what happened.

Symptoms

The very first manifestation, sign, symptom of sleepwalking is sleepwalking. At the same time, the person's eyes are open, but the look is completely absent. At this moment there is no reaction to the words of the surrounding people, touches.

Other symptoms include:

• abruptly adopting a sitting posture in a dream for a few seconds or minutes;
• performing in a dream, without getting up, stereotypical movements, for example, straightening clothes, rubbing eyes, etc.

At the time of sleepwalking, human movements are slow and smooth. Sleepwalking itself can last only a few minutes. But there are whiter cases up to 1 hour. A sleepwalker can walk around the house, turn the lights on and off, open cabinets, doors, go outside. This behavior can lead to various consequences.

At what time does sleepwalking appear?

It should be said that sleep is divided into 2 phases - the phase of REM sleep and slow sleep. Slow begins after falling asleep and continues until deep sleep. The fast phase is characterized by active work eyeballs. During this period, a person looks through dreams.

So, sleepwalking occurs precisely in the phase of deep sleep, in the first third of the night. During daytime somnambulism is observed very rarely, since its duration is insufficient.

Important! The longest phase of deep sleep occurs in children younger age. Therefore, the probability of sleepwalking in this category increases several times.

Effects

Very rarely, somnambulism occurs every day. Usually, the facts of such behavior are recorded no more than 1-2 times in one month. But during these periods, others need to be extremely careful.

A sleepwalker, for example, may go outside, get in a car, and start it. However, he cannot control driving. In such a situation, not only vehicle, but also a sleepwalker, as well as nearby objects and people.

Since in the process of walking in a dream, behavior is not controlled, a person can open a window and step over the ledge. Then the consequences can be very deplorable, even fatal.

After bouts of sleepwalking in the morning, fatigue, lethargy, muscle pain are felt, and efficiency decreases.

Which doctor to contact for sleepwalking

When somnambulism is detected, you should immediately contact a specialist to confirm or refute the presence of such a condition.

Sleepwalking in adults is a particular sleep disorder. If you have a problem, you should contact the following doctors:

• a neurologist to check the condition of the nervous system;
• psychiatrist.

In some cases, it is required to spend nights within the walls of the hospital so that specialists can record sleepwalking in a dream, its frequency and manifestations.

Diagnostics

If the episode of sleepwalking occurred once and is associated with emotional stress, then you can wait a little while to contact the doctor. If sleepwalking attacks are observed frequently, then you should urgently go to a doctor - a neurologist or psychoneurologist to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

The following steps will help in making a diagnosis:

1. Get a notebook in which you note the time of going to bed, the time of the onset of the attack, its duration, the behavior of the patient and the time of awakening.
2. Think about and point out what could have triggered the sleepwalking episode.
3. Indicate in your notebook if you have used recent times sick any medication.
4. Write what foods the patient has recently eaten.

Necessarily when making a diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a series of studies:

• encephalography;
• ultrasound of the brain;
• CT or MRI;
• polysomnography (the patient will have to spend the night in a special laboratory room, where special sensors will be connected to his body, which will note changes in the functioning of the nervous system).

You may also need to consult other doctors.

What should be done to avoid injury?

Sleepwalking in adults, the causes and treatment of which have long been known to doctors, is often accompanied by injuries. To prevent the patient from harming himself and others, the following recommendations should be observed:

1. Do not leave a sleepwalker alone in a room at night.
2. The room where the patient sleeps should be dark.
3. Remove bunk beds from the bedroom to prevent falls.
4. Close the doors, if possible, block the windows, install bars. Sometimes the patient confuses the window with the door and "exits" through it.
5. Do not leave electrical wires on the floor, turn off all electrical appliances at night.
6. Hide all piercing and cutting objects.
7. If possible, glue rubber softeners to all corners of the furniture.
8. Hide your car and door keys.
9. Remove items that could injure the patient.

Read also! how to overcome teeth grinding in sleep

What can not be done with a lunatic?

Somnambulism is a special state of a person in a dream. Family members and others should be aware of what can and cannot be done while sleeping.

Waking up a somnambulist in a state of walking in a dream is not allowed. All the more abruptly. In such a situation, an abrupt transition to a state of wakefulness can occur. In this case, a person may fall, injure himself on nearby objects. This method is also bad for the state of the nervous system.

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If this happens often

Special attention parents

Treatment with folk remedies

Parents who caught a little sleepwalker in danger should never do sudden movements and call out loud. This may cause a fall or injury. After eliminating the danger of injury or falling, he can be quietly called out.

Secrets of traditional medicine

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Sleepwalking, somnambulism. What is it? What causes it and how to deal with it.

Methods of treatment with folk remedies

Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism in medicine, is a fairly common phenomenon. AT childhood this can be observed frequently, especially in children from six to twelve years of age. Sleepwalking happens mainly due to stress, constant anxiety. Over time, this passes.

Sleepwalking can occur at any time during the night. It may start when you have just fallen asleep, at midnight or at dawn. During sleep, the child may not consciously perform the usual actions, such as: sit down at the computer, delve into the briefcase. The maximum sleepwalking time is about 30 minutes, but it's usually much faster. During sleepwalking, the child's consciousness is deeply disturbed. Contact with him is possible and he will be able to answer your questions. His eyes can be either closed or open. Since the child will do everything “automatically”, his actions may seem quite conscious to you, especially if his eyes are open. In the morning, if you ask what he did at night, you are unlikely to hear an answer - as a rule, a sleepwalker does not remember anything. Scolding or punishing a child for his travels in the house at night is not worth it - this is not logical and cruel.

If this happens often, then it is better for parents not to forget that their child can go on a trip, and therefore, do not forget whether windows and entrance doors are well closed and remove sharp objects that the child may stumble upon during sleep. Sleepwalking may be neurotic in nature, and may be the result of strong stressful situations for a child. Sometimes you can guess this from the phrases that he utters in a dream. In this case, parents need to try and make every effort to eliminate traumatic factors.

Special attention to parents"wandering" children should be turned to behavior like: the child automatically, without any need, rubs his hands; twitching; smacks his lips; if he swallows, if he gets up abruptly and suddenly, and just as abruptly, very quickly lies down. All this may indicate paroxysmal sleep disorders, seizures or epilepsy. In this case, a visit to a neuropsychiatrist is required.

To help the child forget about his night hikes Parents can take a few simple, home-based steps. First of all, the child should go to bed and get up at the same time. After dinner, do not give him foods that excite the nervous system: chocolate, coffee, strong tea, and no Coca-Cola. After 19:00 the child should not watch TV, play computer and outdoor games. The best way, this is reading any literature, but not horror films and detective stories, calm music, or any housework that does not require strong physical exertion.

Treatment with folk remedies

Parents who found the little lunatic in danger should in no case make sudden movements and call out loudly. This may cause a fall or injury. After eliminating the danger of injury or falling, he can be quietly called out.

Parents who found the little lunatic in danger should in no case make sudden movements and call out loudly. This may cause a fall or injury. After eliminating the danger of injury or falling, he can be quietly called out.

Photo: Sleepwalking, somnambulism. What is it? What causes it and how to deal with it.

Secrets of traditional medicine

Collection folk remedies treatment various diseases and bad habits

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Sleepwalking in children and adults

1. What causes sleepwalking?
2. Symptoms of pathology
3. How to diagnose a disease?
4. Treatment of somnambulism

Sleepwalking has a medical name - somnambulism. This word is translated from Latin as "walking in a dream." The second name for this pathology is “sleepwalking”. It is worth noting that sleepwalking has nothing to do with the moon. Perhaps the name of the disease was due to the fact that sleepwalking in most cases occurs during bright moonlit nights.

Somnambulism is a sleep disorder, the main symptom of which is unconscious walking in a dream. Pathology manifests itself quite often. Every 50th person suffers from it. The disease is usually observed in children whose age is from 4 to 12-16 years. How to get rid of sleepwalking, what are the symptoms of the disease, what is the cause of its development, and how is it diagnosed?

What causes sleepwalking?

As mentioned earlier, in most cases, it is children who suffer from sleepwalking. This pathology is especially common in boys. Perhaps, children's sleepwalking (treatment of this disease, as it turned out, is possible) is associated with instability and underdevelopment of the central nervous system.

In general, children are by nature quite emotional and receptive. And the load on the still immature nervous system is so serious that, getting a lot new information in daytime, the brain continues to function actively at night, that is, during sleep.

In addition, you can walk in a dream for other reasons: emotional shocks, quarrels, scandals, watching TV or playing on the computer before bed. All these factors excite the nervous system, and it simply does not have time to tune in to a night's rest.

Important! Other pathologies are often companions of sleepwalking - restless legs syndrome, enuresis, diabetes mellitus, arrhythmia, nervous tics, obsessive thoughts, asthma, apnea, etc.

Children at risk are:

• in a family whose parents suffered from sleepwalking (it has been proven that the likelihood of developing the disease increases by 45-60%);
• with high temperature during illness;
• suffering from epilepsy and migraine (sleepwalking is the main manifestation of epilepsy, can be observed several years before the onset of the disease);
• experiencing stress, suffering from insomnia, etc.

Sleepwalking in adults develops for the following reasons:

• taking antihistamines, narcotic, sleeping pills, painkillers, as well as tranquilizers and neuroleptics;
• neuroses;
• panic attacks;
• migraine;
• epilepsy;
• chronic lack of sleep;
• tumor and other diseases of the brain;
• asthma attacks at night;
• stress;
• Parkinson's disease;
• diabetes;
• apnea;
• overeating before bed;
• senile dementia;
• taking alcohol before bed and taking drugs;
• traumatic brain injury;
• arrhythmia in severe form;
• magnesium deficiency in the body (is the result of poor nutrition).

Based on the stories of relatives of people who walked in a dream, it was found that quite often lunatics harm themselves and those around them. Sometimes unknowingly murders are committed. After waking up, a person does not remember what happened.

At what time does sleepwalking appear?

It should be said that sleep is divided into 2 phases - the phase of REM sleep and slow sleep. Slow begins after falling asleep and continues until deep sleep. The fast phase is characterized by the active work of the eyeballs. During this period, a person looks through dreams.

So, sleepwalking occurs precisely in the phase of deep sleep, in the first third of the night. During daytime somnambulism is observed very rarely, since its duration is insufficient.

Important! The longest phase of deep sleep occurs in young children. Therefore, the probability of sleepwalking in this category increases several times.

Symptoms of pathology

Sleepwalking, the symptoms of which are pronounced, manifests itself in the form of unconscious movement in a dream. A person after falling asleep suddenly gets up, goes somewhere and performs some actions. The duration of an attack of sleepwalking is from a few seconds to 30 minutes. In severe cases, sleepwalking can last up to 50 minutes.

There are situations when a person can just talk in his sleep, sit on the bed for some time and go back to bed. Some go beyond the apartment - into the entrance or into the yard. Sleepwalkers can even open the car and start it.

During sleepwalking, a person's eyelids are opened wide enough. The look seems to be “empty”, the face without emotions. If you ask a lunatic something, he will not hear anything, will not see anything, and will not give a question for an answer.

The movements of the patient are clearly coordinated, he is absolutely calm. Awakening occurs, as a rule, by chance. The patient feels sleepy and does not remember anything about what happened at night. Only if the sleepwalking lasted a very long time, awakening is difficult. A person during the day feels overwhelmed, depressed and not getting enough sleep.

Sleepwalking (there are many causes of this disease) does not manifest itself daily. Occurs, as a rule, once, maybe twice a month.

How to diagnose a disease?

If the episode of sleepwalking occurred once and is associated with emotional stress, then you can wait a little while to contact the doctor. If sleepwalking attacks are observed frequently, then you should urgently go to a doctor - a neurologist or psychoneurologist to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

The following steps will help in making a diagnosis:

1. Get a notebook in which you note the time of going to bed, the time of the onset of the attack, its duration, the behavior of the patient and the time of awakening.
2. Think about and point out what could have triggered the sleepwalking episode.
3. Indicate in the notebook whether the patient has recently taken any medications.
4. Write what foods the patient has recently eaten.

Necessarily when making a diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a series of studies:

• encephalography;
• ultrasound of the brain;
• CT or MRI;
• polysomnography (the patient will have to spend the night in a special laboratory room, where special sensors will be connected to his body, which will note changes in the functioning of the nervous system).

You may also need to consult other doctors.

Treatment of somnambulism

The main action before falling asleep, which will prevent the manifestation of sleepwalking in a child (in a teenager), is a ban on watching TV and computer games.

Important! In most cases, a child's sleepwalking goes away on its own as they get older.

If somnambulism is noted quite rarely, and during the passage medical research no extraneous pathologies were found, enough to adjust the daily routine:

1. Walk more outdoors.
2. Avoid stressful situations.
3. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.
4. You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day (this time does not include night awakenings).
5. Before going to bed, a relaxing ritual should be performed. To do this, you can take a bath with the addition of herbs and ethers, listen to calm music, drink mint tea or milk with honey.
6. Exclude watching TV, tablet, computer 2-4 hours before bedtime.
7. Don't overeat or drink alcohol before bed.

Sleepwalking in adults, the causes and treatment of which practically do not differ from childhood disease, more often observed in those who systematically take medications acting on the nervous system. If this factor has become the cause of sleepwalking, then it is more advisable to limit their intake, reduce the dosage, or consult a doctor with a question about replacing the drug.

If after the treatment of diseases that caused somnambulism, walking in a dream continues, then the doctor will prescribe special medicines aimed at influencing the phases of sleep. They are prescribed in minimal dosages. Treatment usually lasts up to 6 weeks.

Important! In no case do not try to convulsively wake up the patient or hit him on the cheeks (douse them with water). This may give rise to new mental disorders. Experts recommend taking a person by the hand and calmly take him to the bedroom, put him to bed. Do not shout - speak quietly and calmly.

What should be done to avoid injury?

Sleepwalking in children (adults), the causes and treatment of which have long been known to doctors, is often accompanied by injuries. To prevent the patient from harming himself and others, the following recommendations should be observed:

1. Do not leave a sleepwalker alone in a room at night.
2. The room where the patient sleeps should be dark.
3. Remove bunk beds from the bedroom to prevent falls.
4. Close the doors, if possible, block the windows, install bars. Sometimes the patient confuses the window with the door and "exits" through it.
5. Do not leave electrical wires on the floor, turn off all electrical appliances at night.
6. Hide all piercing and cutting objects.
7. If possible, glue rubber softeners to all corners of the furniture.
8. Hide your car and door keys.
9. Remove items that could injure the patient.

In conclusion, it should be said that sleepwalking, as a separate pathology, does not carry any dangerous consequences and goes away on its own. If somnambulism is a consequence of any disease, then complications cannot be avoided. Therefore, if symptoms of sleepwalking are detected, it is better to immediately go to the doctor and find out the cause of the pathology.

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Sleepwalking is most commonly observed in childhood and adolescence. It is connected with features of sleep during these age periods.

Parents, seeing the unusual behavior of the child at night, get scared, some associate what is happening with the activities of some otherworldly forces and try to cope with it with the help of prayers and dubious folk methods.

But this state not nearly as dangerous as it might seem, and its development is connected with the processes occurring in the brain, and has nothing to do with mysticism. We will talk about the causes and treatment of sleepwalking in children further.

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General concept

Sleepwalking(also called somnambulism or sleepwalking) - a state during which a sleeping person begins to manifest motor activity, uncharacteristic for the period of sleep: can sit on the bed, start walking around the room, make various activities with items.

In some cases, such activity leads to obtaining traumatic injuries and can end in death, but this rarely happens.

Sleepwalking refers to one of the varieties of sleep disorders - parasomnia. This category includes conditions such as sleep paralysis, nightmares, sleep enuresis and others. Talking during sleep is also related to parasomnia.

About 15% of people on the planet at least once walked in a dream, and systematically occurring episodes of somnambulism are observed in 2.5% of people, so it is difficult to call this condition rare.

Sleepwalking - obsolete name of this state, it is more correct to call it somnambulism. The name "sleepwalking" is historically associated with people's belief in the special power of the moon's light, which is capable of causing various diseases.

When electricity was not invented, the moon was the only source of light that could be one of the factors influencing the occurrence of an episode of sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking most often occurs in children aged 4 to 8 years and is rarely associated with serious pathologies.

During sleep, there is an alternation of two phases of sleep: slow sleep and fast.

NREM sleep has four stages, and somnambulism occurs in the very last of them.

During this period, non-REM sleep is at its deepest, and most of dreams arise at this time.

The occurrence of an episode of somnambulism is associated with the appearance spontaneous intense electrical activity in the brain, but the details of the development of this condition are still unknown. There is a theory that partly explains why episodes of somnambulism occur.

The sleep of a person with normal brain activity is accompanied by the occurrence of inhibition processes that drown out the opposite processes associated with excitation. If there are no disturbances, all areas of the brain are involved in the inhibition mechanism.

But when sleepwalking, some nerve cells become active and trigger some of the zones that are associated with movements and their coordination. Also, the subcortical regions are involved in the process, and the zones that control conscious activity are turned off.

Factors that can affect the occurrence of an episode of sleepwalking:

• loud sounds;
• bright light in the room where the child sleeps (including the light of the moon);
• unexpected switching on of the light.

There is also an increased risk of somnambulism in the presence of genetic predisposition: if the parents passed on the gene associated with somnambulism to the child, the likelihood of developing a disorder increases by 50-60%.

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Signs and symptoms

How does the problem manifest itself? Somnambulism is not just walking. somnambulistic movement complexes can be both simple and complex.

The child can simply wander around the apartment or sit on the bed, or he can make complex movements: play with a toy, look for something specific in the rooms, play on musical instruments, start cleaning, there may also be situations when the child gets dressed and leaves the house.

Somnambulists have common signs, which will allow parents to understand what is happening with the child:

1. Violation of consciousness. The child moves actively and confidently during the episodes, but his activity is not controlled by areas of the brain associated with consciousness. Therefore, attempts to talk to him, to get an answer to the question, end unsuccessfully. Also, the child's self-preservation instinct is blunted: he can do something that will harm him or others.
2. Open eyes. The eyes of the child during the somnambulistic act are wide open, and the look looks empty and directed to nowhere.
3. Emotionless. Emotions are absent even in moments of danger, the child's face looks frozen, mimic changes will not occur if you turn to him or say something.
4. Loss of memories. If you try to ask the child about the events that took place at night, he will not be able to remember them and may not believe the relatives who tell him about them.
5. Features of the end of the episode. Somnambulistic episodes have the same ending: the child returns to his sleeping place or lie down somewhere else and go into the normal state of sleep. If parents manage to put the child to bed during an attack, he also falls asleep.

Also, a person during an episode of sleepwalking is extremely hard to wake up in the usual ways (talking, shouting and other loud sounds do not work).

If you hurt him or shake him hard, you can achieve a reaction, but it is better not to do this: upon waking up, the child will experience intense fear, he can behave inappropriately and even aggressively.

sleepwalker capable of harming oneself go out the window or onto the roof, leave the house, hit, break something and cut yourself.

He cannot stop, because he does not experience emotions and does not control himself.

Therefore, somnambulism is potentially dangerous in certain cases capable of leading to lethal outcome or serious injury.

Also, sleepwalking can be a sign of disorders in the brain. It should not be ignored: even a single episode requires contacting medical institution. Most cases of somnambulism are not associated with serious pathologies, but examination is necessary in any case.

Read more about the causes and treatment of stuttering in children here.

Sleep disorders are dealt with by a neurologist. To get directions to it, you need contact a pediatrician and answer his questions.

The neurologist will find out information about the episode of somnambulism: what the child did, how long the episode lasted, what additional symptoms present (weakness, headache, fainting, etc.), whether there are other sleep disorders, whether there have been emotional upheavals recently.

He will also initial inspection and forward to additional diagnostic measures:

• MRI or CT of the brain;
• electroencephalography.

In addition, a consultation with a psychiatrist is indicated. An examination by a somnologist and polysomnography may also be required.

Depending on the results of the examination, it will be determined whether the child needs special treatment or is it enough adjust his lifestyle.

Should the child be treated?

If not found pathological changes, and the child does not perform complex actions and does not do anything dangerous, episodes of sleepwalking occur infrequently, do not last long, drug treatment not required, observation is sufficient.

Also useful non-drug methods impact on the child:

1. Relaxing treatments: baths with herbs or salt, massage (you can add oil). You can make a pillow soothing herbs and place it next to the bed.
2. Recurring ritual. It is important to introduce one or more rituals that will be repeated every evening. These rituals can be reading fairy tales, games, a certain drink (milk with honey, for example).
3. Daily regime. A well-defined time to wake up and fall asleep will improve brain function.
4. Elimination of provoking factors. Thick curtains on the window will help protect the child from the light of the moon and street lights. During sleep, the room should be quiet and calm. Ventilation is also helpful.
5. Calm atmosphere. AT evening time it is not recommended to give coffee, cola and other products that excite the nervous system. In the evening, the apartment should be calm, it is better to muffle the sounds in order to give the child the opportunity to relax and get ready for bed.
6. Keeping a sleep diary. It must indicate the start and end times of the attacks. Since episodes of sleepwalking usually occur at about the same time, it is possible to wake the child shortly before the start, and then the attack will not begin.

It is also important to ensure safety. It is necessary to remove everything that can injure away, close the corners on the furniture with the help of overlays, put protective fasteners on cabinets and windows.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that there is no need to treat somnambulism and that it is only necessary to take measures to ensure that the child is safe during physical activity. It is also not necessary to wake him up, so as not to scare him.

To reduce the likelihood of somnambulism, recommended:

• provide a comfortable, devoid of strong and frequent stress environment;
• limit watching TV before bed (especially for material that contains violent scenes);
• contact specialists in time for changes in mental state;
• create comfort in the sleeping room, eliminate provoking factors.

Children's somnambulism, which is not accompanied by serious pathologies, goes away on its own with time. most children stop sleepwalking by the onset of adolescence. And following the advice of a doctor will help reduce the frequency of episodes and improve the well-being of the child.

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Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is a condition in which a person performs certain actions during sleep.

He can walk, talk, but does not respond to attempts to wake him up.

The causes of the disease have not been fully established, but it is believed that sleepwalking manifests itself during the transition to fast phase sleep, due to disturbances in neural connections brain.

Most often, somnambulism is observed in children and adolescents (more than 20%), and in adults the pathology is much less common. We will talk about the causes and treatment of sleepwalking in children and adolescents in the article.

Description of the disease

The main danger of sleepwalking is that a child can get seriously injured in a dream.

After all, such motor activity is uncontrolled, unconscious, and is considered a kind of parasomnia (sleep disorder).

The whole process of sleep consists of two phases: fast and slow, and the last phase, in turn, consists of four stages.

It is at this moment that somnambulism manifests itself, from which children aged 4 to 7-8 years often suffer.

Numerous studies have shown that sleepwalking is associated with electrical brain activity. AT normal condition, this activity is accompanied by processes of inhibition, and with certain disorders, they are replaced by spontaneous excitation.

An attack of sleepwalking develops only in the first half of the night, and at the same time, the patient can safely move around the room with his eyes open.

He does not respond to external stimuli, does not see anything, does not answer questions and requests. At this point, the person is able to talk, but incoherently and out of place.

Why does it occur in a child or teenager

Many parents, noticing in their child similar problems, fall into a panic, not knowing how to help and where to turn.

In most cases, the pathology resolves on its own once the child is out of adolescence.

Leads to the development of the disease, the wrong distribution of inhibition processes in the brain.

Indeed, throughout the entire period of sleep, the functionality of the body slows down, and this happens due to natural inhibitory processes.

With sleepwalking, memory and consciousness are turned off, but the parts of the brain responsible for movement and speech remain awake. Therefore, the child begins to walk in a dream and talk, but absolutely does not remember and is not aware of his actions.

provoke similar condition in a teenager, stress, emotional stress occurring against the background of growth and hormonal development can become.

Although sometimes, sleepwalking becomes the result of more serious violations.

Symptoms and signs of childhood somnambulism

It is important to understand that sleepwalking is not always caused by harmless causes. Often, it is provoked by severe pathologies that require long-term treatment and expert observation.

Pathological causes of somnambulism:

• epilepsy;
• trauma and concussion in history;
• severe stress caused by external changes;
• insomnia;
• congenital mental and neurological diseases;
• neuroinfections;
• neurosis, neurasthenia;
• advanced helminthiases.

Parents can determine if a child has sleepwalking by observing him during sleep. At first glance, the lunatic behaves during sleep in normal mode. He moves, moves objects, dresses, avoids obstacles and opens doors.

All these actions are mainly performed with open eyes, but the child does not see anything, he just sleeps.

In the morning, the patient does not remember his actions, feels good, although a more excited state is recorded than usual.

Talking in a dream, strong shuddering, rocking indicate a tendency to somnambulism.

Diagnostics

The first symptoms of sleepwalking require immediate treatment to a neurologist. Only he can determine what caused the disease and prescribe the appropriate therapy.

Mandatory procedures will be not only blood and feces tests (for helminthiasis), but also an examination of the fundus, ultrasound of the vessels of the brain and cervical spine.

To find out true reason sleep disorders, it is necessary to conduct an electroencephalogram that fixes changes in brain impulses.

All these surveys will accurately formulate the cause of the development of sleepwalking.

Additionally, an MRI or CT scan, dopplerography may be required, and the specialist should collect an anamnesis as fully as possible, ask parents about the presence of any psychological problems The child has.

Only after determining the specific disease that led to somnambulism, the doctor prescribes the appropriate therapy. Treatment may include various medications, alternative medicine and folk recipes.

What to do and how to treat

How to cure sleepwalking in a child? The only way to cure a sleepwalker is to determine the cause of somnambulism.

In the vast majority of cases, the disease does not require any treatment at all, and after the end of puberty, it goes away on its own.

The main thing that parents should do when they find a child walking in a dream is to carefully observe his movements, without making sudden movements and without trying to wake him up. Any loud or sharp sound able to scare the lunatic, up to loss of consciousness.

To minimize bouts of sleepwalking, it is necessary to provide comfortable conditions, a calm and favorable environment in the family, remove the computer and TV from the bedroom. The child must fully rest, including during the day.

Medications

Medicines are prescribed to treat comorbidities that accompany sleepwalking.

If walking in a dream is provoked by epilepsy, then it is necessary to take special anticonvulsant drugs (Carbamazepine, Valparin, Phenobarbital, etc.).

All these funds are strictly prescription, approved for use by children over 3 years old.

When somnambulism is accompanied by a syndrome chronic fatigue, anxiety, some mental disorders, you will need to take antidepressants (Glycine, Prozac, Sertraline).

It must be understood that these are very heavy drugs that are used only in cases where other, less safe means, will not work.

It happens that walking or talking in a dream is caused by sharp rise temperature during viral or infectious disease, high intracranial pressure. In this case, taking antipyretic and diuretic drugs that alleviate the condition of the child will help.

Folk remedies

If sleepwalking is not associated with pathological changes psyche and nervous disorders, then the use of folk methods of treatment is quite suitable.

Experienced healers are advised to put near the patient's bed wet towel or rug.

Trying to get up in a dream, a sleepwalker steps on a cold, damp cloth and either wakes up or goes back to bed.

As sedatives, accelerating falling asleep, use special herbal baths. Immediately before going to bed, the child should take a coniferous bath with salt.

Preparing it is very simple, just take fresh spruce branches and needles, boil for a couple of minutes and let it brew for about half an hour.

Strain the broth, pour into the bath, add well warm water and 200 g of coarse edible salt. It is enough to lie down in coniferous water for at least 30 minutes and immediately go to sleep.

A glass drunk at night helps to normalize sleep well warm milk or honey water.

You can hang rag bags filled with dry herbs of lemon balm, lavender, mint, St. John's wort over the bed, or leave an open bottle with essential oil ylang ylang.

Excellent results are obtained by using soothing herbal decoctions, but only after consulting a specialist. One of them is an infusion of dry lemon balm leaves, lavender and valerian root.

Non-traditional methods

Often, to eliminate the pathology, such methods of therapy as hypnosis, acupuncture, physiotherapy are used.

Well helps relaxing massage, electrosleep.

Many parents are wary of such treatment, and this is their right.

The doctor himself decides what the patient needs in a particular case.

Curability forecast

Sleepwalking often resolves on its own, unless it is caused by serious pathologies or brain disorders.

To speed up the process of getting rid of sleepwalking will help the observance of sleep and wakefulness, the creation of a comfortable psychological environment in the environment of the child. Eliminate evening TV viewing and minimize computer games.

Right before going to bed, the baby can read a fairy tale, talk, calm and hug. A couple of hours before bedtime, you should exclude outdoor games, reduce activity, and put a bag of hop cones under the pillow.

As soon as the patient feels safe, feels the love and care of his parents, then the sleepwalking attacks will gradually stop.

Sleepwalking in a child is a deviation from the norm, but it should not cause panic and fear in parents. Most often, sleepwalking is not caused by serious mental disorders, and completely disappears after some time.

At the first symptoms of pathology, it is urgent to contact a neurologist to exclude severe brain disorders and other diseases.

Sleepwalking and child safety:

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Somnambulism, or "sleepwalking", translated from Latin means "sleepwalking". In this disorder, a person performs unconscious actions in a state of sleep with the appearance of being conscious.

Sleepwalking is observed in children quite often. Its systematic form occurs in 5% of children, and isolated cases or several times during childhood - in 30% of children. Approximately 1% of them have cases of sleepwalking after reaching adulthood. And for most children, sleepwalking goes away by the age of 15. Boys are most susceptible to the development of sleepwalking.

Most often, the first manifestations of sleepwalking are noted after 6 years, but can also occur at 3-4 years. There are cases of the development of somnambulism in adolescence (from 12 to 16 years). Some scientists consider its manifestation to be the result of a large amount of information entering the brain of a teenager, the processing of which continues during sleep. This phenomenon should not frighten the parents of the child.

Causes

The causes of somnambulism are not fully understood. Human sleep is divided into several stages. Sleepwalking usually manifests itself in the phase of slow sleep, which occurs 1-1.5 hours after falling asleep. But in some cases there are cases of sleepwalking in the early hours.

The mechanism of development of this phenomenon is quite simple: the processes of inhibition in the central nervous system do not extend to the areas of the brain that coordinate motor functions, or there is a shallow inhibition in these parts of the brain. As a result, some part of the brain is in a state of sleep, and some is awake; the body wakes up.

American scientists managed to find a special part of the 20th chromosome of DNA, which contributes to the development of sleepwalking. Its presence increases the risk of its occurrence by 50%. Role hereditary factor in the manifestation of somnambulism has been proven, but it has not yet been possible to establish a specific gene that determines its occurrence.

It is believed that this is a gene responsible for the phase of slow sleep, although it is possible that the predisposition to sleepwalking is associated with several genes. The activity of manifestations of sleepwalking during the full moon may be associated with a change in the magnetic field.

Factors contributing to the manifestation of sleepwalking are:

• incompletely formed nervous system in children;
• stressful situations;
• sleep disturbances in the form of insomnia;
• anxious, tense state of the child;
• violent reaction of the child to punishment, conflict, quarrel;
• load intensity ( school programs and extracurriculars)
• neuroses;
• traumatic brain injury;
• epilepsy;
• transferred neuroinfections;
• chronic diseases of the internal organs.

Symptoms of sleepwalking

The child during sleepwalking leaves his bed and performs some unconscious actions, and subsequently does not remember them. The actions of sleepwalkers can be quite complex: they can walk, dress, move objects and things, go outside the apartment.

Cases of exit and falling through the window were noted. The child's eyes are open, the pupils are constricted, the gaze is absent, frozen. There may be an erroneous impression that the child is not sleeping. But his expression is impassive. The child at this time can collide with pieces of furniture, stumble, even get injured. About 25% of lunatics get injured.

The sleepwalker does not respond to conversations and appeals to himself. If you wake him up, the child will be disoriented and confused. Waking up in the morning, he will not remember anything, or have any vague memories.

The duration of an episode of somnambulism is from a few seconds to an hour (in rare cases, it can be longer). Most often, sleepwalking lasts 10-15 minutes. The child then returns to normal sleep.

Other manifestations of somnambulism can be:

• cases when the child sleeps with his eyes open, falls asleep sitting or in another position of wakefulness;
• pronunciation of sounds, words or phrases in a dream;
• the child does not remember walking or talking in the dream.

Parenting Tactics

Having identified "night walks" in a child, one should not panic. Carefully, without trying to wake him up, bring him to bed and put him down again. Waking a child is not dangerous, but it should not be done so as not to frighten him. In extreme cases, you need to interrupt sleep in a calm, quiet voice.

It is advisable to consult a doctor to rule out organic disease central nervous system. You can also seek advice from a psychoneurologist. In some cases, doctors may prescribe studies: an electroencephalogram, an examination of the fundus, dopplerography of cerebral vessels, and.

But most importantly, it is necessary to protect the child during sleepwalking.

The security measures are:

• in the child's bedroom there should not be objects that can hurt, flammable objects;
• in a multi-storey private house, the bedroom should be located on the 1st floor;
• a bell can be hung on the bedroom door to help parents hear the sound of the door opening;
• the outer door must be closed with one or more locks that prevent the child from going outside;
• all windows in the apartment must be tightly closed; curtains should be hung on the windows;
• you should not laugh at a sleepwalking child, reproach him - this can cause additional mental trauma to the child.

Treatment of somnambulism

Most experts believe that such an interesting phenomenon as baby sleepwalking does not need treatment, that it goes away on its own: with age, the causes that cause walking at night will no longer injure the child's psyche so much.

There are a number of measures that can help control and minimize episodes of sleepwalking:

1. Make sure your child gets enough sleep. For babies preschool age naps should not be ignored.
2. Protect the child from experiences, stressful situations, family conflicts.
3. Provide a quiet pastime for the child before going to bed: do not use active games, control the time of watching television programs and their content, the time spent with the computer. Even stormy positive emotions not recommended before bed. You can read good fairy tale; small child soothing lullaby. Believing parents can read a prayer before going to bed.
4. Has a good effect warm bath (optional with lavender) before bed.
5. An hour before going to bed, you can give your child a soothing tea with lemon balm.
6. Under the pillow, you can put a fabric bag with hops.
7. In the absence of allergies in a child, you can use aroma oils: chamomile, geranium, sandalwood, lavender.

Treatment of sleepwalking is carried out when there are also some mental disorders. There is no single treatment for sleepwalking. If the occurrence of such episodes is too frequent and the child tries to go outside, hypnotherapy can be used.

The psychotherapist will help to remove manifestations of neuroses. Calming drugs, general strengthening therapy can be used. If epilepsy is detected, apply anticonvulsants. In the case of severe stress, you may need the help of a psychologist and the use of drug therapy.

Summary for parents

Sleepwalking in children should not cause fear and panic in parents. This is not entirely clear to specialists, but a fairly common phenomenon in childhood does not always need treatment. It usually resolves on its own by adolescence. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

If sleepwalking is detected in a child, a doctor's consultation should be sought to rule out pathological process in the CNS.

In addition, you need to analyze the situation in the family and exclude conflicts and quarrels in the presence of the child, try to understand the reason that prompts the occurrence of sleepwalking episodes. After all, sleepwalking can be triggered by fatigue and insomnia, anxiety and other strong emotions experienced during the day.

But most importantly, it is necessary to take all measures to protect the child during these night walks, in order to exclude the slightest possibility of injury to the little lunatic or an accident.

Sleepwalking (somnambulism) or sleepwalking is quite common in childhood. According to statistics, 20% of children at least once walked in their sleep, and regular “night walks” occur in 5%. The first episodes of sleepwalking occur at the age of 5-6 years, but sometimes 3-4 year old children suffer from this ailment. A large number of cases of somnambulism were recorded at the age of 10-14 years. In adulthood, only 1% sleepwalking remains, most children stop “wandering” at night by the age of 15-17.

Somnambulism is a state when a person gets out of bed during sleep, performs actions very similar to conscious ones (opens cabinets, doors, moves objects), but at the same time sleeps and does not understand what he is doing. Usually sleepwalkers walk with their eyes open, their face does not express any emotions, the pupils of the eyes are constricted. If you turn to a somnambulist, he will not answer and will not understand the question, but at the same time he can say something. There are cases of walking in a dream with eyes closed. In the morning, a person does not remember the episode of sleepwalking and is very surprised if he is told about it.

Causes

The causes of sleepwalking in children have not yet been fully studied, only the main factors influencing its occurrence have been identified. These include:

• immaturity of the central nervous system (CNS),
• genetic predisposition,
• diseases,
• stress or disturbed daily routine.

Immaturity of the central nervous system

As a rule, sleepwalking in children is caused by the immaturity of the central nervous system. The processes of excitation and inhibition are not balanced.

Often, somnambulism is combined with hyperactivity or enuresis, which once again confirms the version about the influence of an imbalance in the balance of excitation and inhibition in the brain.

AT deep phase sleep, due to the immaturity of the central nervous system, the processes of inhibition in the parts of the brain responsible for motor activity do not occur, which leads to sleepwalking.

genetic predisposition

Sleepwalking in children can be hereditary. It is believed that if one of the parents or both suffered from sleepwalking, then with a probability of 60% it can be said that the child will have this feature, and in early age. Somnambulism suffered by distant relatives or great-grandparents can manifest itself in a child.

Not so long ago, American scientists found a section of chromosome 20 of human DNA, the genes of which are responsible for the occurrence of sleepwalking. It has not yet been possible to accurately establish one or several of these genes, but it has been proven that the structural features of this particular chromosome increase the likelihood of sleepwalking by 50%. Most likely, the gene responsible for the slow (deep) phase of sleep affects the occurrence of sleepwalking in children.

Manifestation of other diseases

Sleepwalking in children can develop against the background of other diseases. Often lead to sleepwalking:

It is important to know that in some cases, sleepwalking is one of the signs of incipient epilepsy. The child first "wanders" at night, and then the first epileptic seizures occur.

Disorders mental state can be manifested by insomnia or increased anxiety, neurosis, fears.

Stress and wrong daily routine

Regular stress can lead to sleepwalking in children. Constant quarrels and conflicts in the family, excessive severity of parents in relation to the child, prejudice teachers or problems in communicating with classmates lead to psycho-emotional overstrain. And it, in turn, is manifested by sleepwalking.

Often a child, being in a calm environment, still “walks” at night. This may be due to increased workload at school, extra classes, an overabundance of information. It is difficult for a fragile children's nervous system to cope with a large flow of information and external stimuli, and this leads to malfunctions in the processes of inhibition in the brain. Watching TV or cartoons for too long, sitting for long periods of time playing computer games, or a large number of additional circles and sections other than school can cause sleepwalking in schoolchildren and adolescents.

In preschoolers, sleepwalking can be caused by a disrupted day regimen for a long time (going to bed too late or all the time at night). different time, absence daytime sleep too busy day).

Psychological trauma in a child, and increased anxiety and associated with hormonal changes mental instability in adolescents.

sleepwalking treatment

Sleepwalking as a single episode can indicate a busy day and overwork, it does not require treatment.

It is important to understand that sleepwalking, which is regularly repeated, should not be ignored, but the child should be examined by a neurologist and psychologist to identify its causes. It could just be a reaction to stress or increased load. And in case serious illnesses they will be able to notice and start treatment in time.

Help from experts

To identify pathologies of the nervous system or brain, a neurologist may prescribe the following additional examinations:

• electroenciphogram (EEG),
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
• fundus research.

An EEG will give an idea of ​​brain activity and help detect epilepsy. MRI will give an idea of ​​the state of the vessels of the brain and cervical spine, the presence of neoplasms or other disorders in the structures of the brain.

When identifying diseases that have caused sleepwalking in a child, it is necessary to begin their treatment and follow the recommendations of specialists. During the therapy started, it will help to cope with the disease and get rid of sleepwalking.

If sleepwalking is associated with neurosis or other mental disorders, in some cases medication will be needed, for example, antidepressants or nootropics may be prescribed by a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

It is important not to self-medicate or give your child sedatives without consulting a doctor. This may lead to big problems with health. Parents can cook for their child herbal teas(chamomile, lemon balm) or special children's sedative fees.

In the treatment of sleepwalking concomitant disease you need to follow the recommendations of a neurologist, psychologist or other specialists and not self-medicate the child.

Treatment at home

It is important to surround the child with attention and care, not to tease him or accuse him of not wanting to sleep normally. The child needs support and understanding that he is normal and no worse than his peers. Criticism and ridicule from loved ones can lead to psychological trauma and deterioration of the child.

It is better not to tell grandparents, acquaintances or relatives, and even more so the parents of classmates or other children in kindergarten about the "features" of a daughter's or son's sleep. An accidental story to children from the sleepwalker's environment can lead to harassment or insults, which obviously will not help the treatment, but will harm.

A friendly environment in the family and a daily routine suitable for the child will help to reduce episodes of sleepwalking to nothing.

• It is important to ensure proper sleep: put and wake up the child at the same time, on weekends the difference with weekdays should be more than an hour;
• If the child is not allergic, you can take baths with chamomile or string, or special “relaxing” foams before going to bed;
• Sleepwalking preschoolers need daytime naps;
• It is necessary to ensure a calm environment a couple of hours before bedtime, to exclude active games, watching TV or sitting at the computer. It is better to read fairy tales together, draw or sculpt;
• Protect the child from stress and family troubles, surround with care;
• Before going to bed (an hour before), you can offer your child soothing chamomile or lemon balm tea, and you should refuse chocolate and other tonic products, a light dinner so that the child does not overeat and does not go to bed hungry;
• It is better to air the bedroom before going to bed.

Another important point related to baby sleepwalking is the issue of safety. Parents should remove from the children's room everything that can injure a child "walking" at night. Particular attention should be paid to windows and balconies. Securely closed windows are best covered with curtains. Entrance doors must be locked so that the child cannot open them.

What not to do parents of sleepwalkers

It is important to understand that waking up a sleepwalker can frighten him very much, which can lead to stuttering and increased anxiety. All this can only increase the frequency of sleepwalking episodes. It is better to carefully bring your daughter or son to bed and put them to bed. In no case should you put a basin with cold water or other "means" of awakening. It can also lead to fear and psychological trauma.

It is important to understand that usually an episode of sleepwalking in a child lasts about 15 minutes, and, having gone around the room or apartment, he will calmly go to sleep further. In rare cases, night "walks" are delayed for an hour.

Faced with sleepwalking in a child, it is important for parents to remain calm, examine their daughter or son with a neurologist and psychologist to identify diseases of the nervous system or mental disorders and treat them. If the examination did not find serious pathologies, then sleepwalking will pass by itself, and while providing a comfortable atmosphere at home and a convenient daily routine, its episodes will become minimal.