Coping with sleepwalking

[George2Loose]

This thread might be premature and an over reaction but I was hoping the community could help with personal experiences of sleepwalking.

Just to put the thread into context. Tonight has perhaps been one of the most traumatic of my life, actually u can probably include the Bedi household.

We are currently away in Devon, staying at a Haven park ( wal).

Bedi juniors Ace and Rio are tucked up in bed while me, Shelley, Esme and Kieran are watching a film (chronicle, was deece to where we watched it to) at around 10 the film is paused while I nip to the loo. I decide to check on the boys as a parent does (they're in separate rooms). Ace is snoring soundly.

I walk into Rios room. The covers all over the place. He usually fidgets so I check under the covers. No Rio. Must have crept into our bed. I check our bed. No Rio

"Shelley where is rio?"

I cannot begin to describe the feeling in my heart. My head of course is thinking rationally. He has to be here somewhere. The four of us are running up and down. The kids run outside yelling his name. I'm trying to keep a lid on things while my mind races.

I tell Shelley to call the police as I run with Kieran to the main building. It turns out they have him safe and sound. He was found not far from the beach and cliffs. A lot of scratches but safe and well. The relief indescribable. The shock of it all still sinking in.

We suspect he slept walked and climbed out of the bathroom window. Of course he could have gone wondering but I doubt rio would ever do this plus the amount of scratches he has leads me to believe he Deffo slept walk.

We now of course are worried about how to handle this in future. We're praying it's a one off but in case it isn't does anyone have any kind of help/advice in this area?

[celtic]

Urgh, this sounds horrific George.

Get pro help straight away!

Glad he's ok.

[George2Loose]

Urgh, this sounds horrific George.

Get pro help straight away!

Glad he's ok.

Thx mate. Going docs when we get back. Fingers crossed its just excitement from hols or too much sugar

[leethefish]

Omg ....so glad you found him safe and well (apart from the scratches etc)
Jesus  George it must of been awfull for you all.

Deffo go to the doctors when your home.

Are you sure he didn't just go exploring ? Rather than sleep walking

Lewis used to sleepwalk he never went far! He hasn't done it for ages though!

[kinboshi]

Glad he's safe George. Sounds very scary.

[tikay]

That must have been THE most awful thing Geo, tempered by the exact opposite when you found he was safe & well.

Hope you & Shelley have both calmed down now.

How old is Rio?

[TightEnd]

One of mine used to sleepwalk George, up to the age of 7 or so

Charmingly, he'd often urinate in all sorts of places, which we'd discover in the morning, hence we knew he'd been up and about!

Doctors advice, after explaining it was due to hormonal changes (in adults its more likely to be stress related) was

- Less excitement before bed (ie no TV for an hour before lights out)
- Fewer E-numbers, no fizzy drinks

There was a medication option, to aid more regular/calmer sleep, but fortunately it stopped before we got that far
The medication reduces the amount of time kids spend in "slow wave sleep" which is when sleepwalking occurs.

Either way, would certainly get him to a Doc to help put your minds at rest

[Eso Kral]

Glad he's safe George. Sounds very scary.

[smashedagain]

Wow this is shocking stuff. I expected you to find him in another room. My stomach actually turned over when I read found near the cliffs. I panic every time the kids go up the wrong isle in Tesco.

Pleased all turned out well and the bathroom was on the ground floor

[AndrewT]

Was he asleep or awake when you found him?

Can he remember it today?

[TheChipPrince]

Glad he's safe George. Sounds very scary.

[George2Loose]

Omg ....so glad you found him safe and well (apart from the scratches etc)
Jesus  George it must of been awfull for you all.

Deffo go to the doctors when your home.

Are you sure he didn't just go exploring ? Rather than sleep walking

Lewis used to sleepwalk he never went far! He hasn't done it for ages though!

Cheers lee. We would prefer it if he had gone exploring because we could do something about it! The punt of scratches he has suggests he was sleepwalking. He's too averse to pain to have gone through that awake!

[George2Loose]

That must have been THE most awful thing Geo, tempered by the exact opposite when you found he was safe & well.

Hope you & Shelley have both calmed down now.

How old is Rio?

We are both fine now tony but we were all obviously thinking the same thing for the short time he was missing. Hard to shake those thoughts. Rio has just turned 8

[George2Loose]

One of mine used to sleepwalk George, up to the age of 7 or so

Charmingly, he'd often urinate in all sorts of places, which we'd discover in the morning, hence we knew he'd been up and about!

Doctors advice, after explaining it was due to hormonal changes (in adults its more likely to be stress related) was

- Less excitement before bed (ie no TV for an hour before lights out)
- Fewer E-numbers, no fizzy drinks

There was a medication option, to aid more regular/calmer sleep, but fortunately it stopped before we got that far
The medication reduces the amount of time kids spend in "slow wave sleep" which is when sleepwalking occurs.

Either way, would certainly get him to a Doc to help put your minds at rest

This Deffo helps tighty thanks! The kids rarely drink fizzy stuff but with us being on hols they have had more than there fair share plus more excitement around bedtime then they're used to

[George2Loose]

Wow this is shocking stuff. I expected you to find him in another room. My stomach actually turned over when I read found near the cliffs. I panic every time the kids go up the wrong isle in Tesco.

Pleased all turned out well and the bathroom was on the ground floor

Yeh we can't stop thinking about how lucky we are. U hear of children going missing all the time.