Really wierd, sleepwalking maybe?

[LovemyBoo]

Just had something happen with ds that was so odd I got out of bed and powered up the computer to ask this.

He got up out of bed about 30 minutes ago and came into the living room where I was. He came up to me and I asked him why he was up? He just shook his head and moved in for a hug. So I gave him a hug and said, "C'mon, let's go back to bed." So I walked him back to bed, he climbed up (he has a loft bed) and I said, "Good Night, see you in the morning." I don't remember for sure now but I swear he said it back to me.

Not 5 minutes later I'm getting into bed and I hear him come out of his room again. So I go after him and ask him what is wrong. The wierd part is, he couldn't tell me. His speech was completely inarticulate. He was mumbling and no matter what I said to him I couldn't get him to speak clearly. It was almost like he couldn't.

Now getting out of bed for him is normal. And he can always give me a clear reason. He's thirsty, something scared him, he had a bad dream, he heard a noise. He can wake up and express himself just fine. And he had been asleep, for an hour or so. He sweats in his sleep and the side of his head was damp.

He acted fairly normally. He responded physically when I talked to him, he looked right at me, he had no problem moving around or climbing in and out of his bed. He just acted a little out of it and could not speak clearly to save his life. The only word I really understood was when I asked him, "Are you awake?", he said "yes". But he mumbled it, just a clearer mumble. Otherwise I literally could not understand a word that came out of his mouth. He kept leaning in for hugs and I kept hugging him. It seemed to frustrate him that he couldn't tell me what was bothering him and he seemed helpless to change it. Finally I brought him back to bed and said he could tell me in the morning if he remembered. This was about 20 minutes ago and he seems to have gone back to sleep.

The whole experience is just very wierd and I'm curious to see if he remembers it in the morning. He has, in the past, cried out for us in the middle of the night only for me or dh to go in and discover that he's asleep, even asleep sitting up or tossing and turning. But this is the first time he's gotten out of bed and acted like this. Could it have been sleepwalking? It's just so strange.

Any input you have would be appreciated. I'm stumped, here.

[Godiva]

it is quite possible that he is sleepwalking. When I was a kid my mom woke up in the middle of the night because she heard footsteps. She found me in my bed cutting up my sheets. She tried talking to me and I just said incoherent stuff like your ds. I've never done it since. I would keep an eye on him though, if he is sleepwalking he may injure himself.

[trinity6232000]

As a child I slept walked quiet a lot. From about age 5-9. There were
nights when I would sleep walk to each siblings bedroom and they would
walk me back to my room. Meaning I was getting up 3-4 times to get
to each of them. I had full conversations. Would go to the bathroom
and a few times they would find me in the kitchen eating. With no
knowledge of what I was doing. I think it's quite normal. This might
never happen with your ds again.
I blame my ongoing sleepwalking on being a very odd child, with odd
habits and issues. :lol

My own dd has never slept walked as far as I know. But she used to
have bad night terrors. That was scary.

[LovemyBoo]

Thank you for the replies!

The clincher is he does not remember at all what happened last night. When I asked him about he said he did not get up at all and stayed in bed all night.

So I'm pretty sure he's sleepwalking.

[Godiva]

One thing to think about, I've always heard that sometimes kids sleepwalk in response to a traumatic event. Is there anything that has happened that may have been traumatic to him?

[LovemyBoo]

Nothing out of the ordinary, really. He's had a rough couple of days at school. He's always had attention difficulties and Thursday and Friday were just tough days, but nothing he hasn't had before. He does have bedwetting issues and I've read that kids who regularly wet the bed can sleepwalk when their bodies are sending the signal. But he didn't go to the bathroom. I just don't know.

I've just remembered that he has done the incoherent mumbling before - less than a handfull of times that I can remember. I've heard him crying in bed in the middle of the night like he's having a bad dream. I go in his room and he's very upset and tries to talk to me but just mumbles and I can't understand him at all, even though his eyes were open and he appeared awake. Back then I just assumed he wasn't completely awake. This is the first time he's actually gotten up and walked around.

I've written it down with the date and details so we'll see if there's a pattern, if this happens again. At least next time I'll know what it is, last night I had no idea.

[4evermom]

People have more disturbed sleep if they are underrested which is why sleepwalking is more common in the earlier part of the night. Skipping naps and going to bed earlier never worked for my ds because he would sleep so much more poorly for having skipped the nap. He gets sleep inertia. He sits up and moves around with a glazed look, clearly not awake. My brother would sleepwalk because he had to use the bathroom. He wouldn't always end up at a toilet, however. Once he used a fireplace at a sleepover, and once he came into my room and tried to pee on my chair but I redirected him. He had urinary frequency due to allergies that probably added to the problem.

[LovemyBoo]

^ That could be part of it as well. He's like me and has a hard time falling asleep. Once he's asleep he's a rock, but it takes him 2-3 hours to get there. He has to get up early for school so sometimes he doesn't sleep enough.

I'm thinking it's a combination of a bunch of things. I'm just glad I figured out what it was. Thank you! :)

[trinity6232000]

Kris. I had a experience that reminded me of this thread.

My dd(5yo) and I spend the weekend at my ex In-laws house.
When we got up for church this morning my MIL asked what
was the matter at around 2am. I didn't know what she was
talking about. Apparently my MIL was walking to the bathroom
in the middle of the night. I left our bedroom door all the way
open because dd likes to see the hallway light when we are in
their home. I guess when she walked to the bathroom she
heard dd and I talking, but not making sense. So I guess I
haven't totally grown out of my weird sleeping, and I guess my
dd has picked it up as well.
Ahhhh the joys of the family bed. Long conversations you can't
remember. I think I am going to set up a tape recorder that I
own that starts on it's own with noise. I wonder what the heck
we're talking about.

Didn't want to hijack your thread, but I thought you might get
a chuckle.

[Alkenny]

Both of my older kids have been sleepwalkers.

We haven't had any incidents with DS since we took him off of allergy meds (marching in place in the hallway, standing above me in bed laughing full on belly laughs).

My DD still sleepwalks alot, mostly when she's under stress (jogging beside my bed yelling "Run, Paige, run!" before a big cross-country meet, etc.)

DH has always been a mumbler/talking in his sleep too.

[LovemyBoo]

Janna and Lish, thanks for sharing your stories. Unfortunately I probably won't have any good conversations with ds, seeing as I couldn't understand a word. :wink The last few nights have been fine, so we'll see what happens.

[zaner'smama]

Hi,
Like the others mentioned, it sure does sound like sleepwalking.
I was a frequent sleepwalker as a child, and still occassionally as an adult. I also talk in my sleep, have vivid dreams and have night terrors occassionally.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share because you mentioned that he had trouble expressing himself in that state. I can totally relate. My husband always asks me what is going on, and the majority of the time I can't remember or spit it out if I can. For me, it can be frustrating or embarrassing because I woke him up (walking, talking, screaming, etc.) but can't remember why. Most of the times, I don't remember anything in the morning either. These things typically happen within the first hour that I fall asleep.
My niece on my husband's side (8) and one of my best friend's daughters(11) also sleepwalk. We are all oldest children and I always wondered if that had something to do with it. I've also found that for me it's triggered by stress or being overly tired.
There is a lot of information about sleeping issues online if you're interested in searching.
:) Betsy

[skybluepink02]

My little brother sleep-walked for years. He did the exact same thing. He would walk around (a little clumsily) talk inarticulatley, and do strange things. My parents had to put a latch up high on all of the outside doors because he would wander outside. He outgrew it eventually, but I would watch if it gets to be often, just to make sure that he isn't going outside. It was pretty scary for a while until my parents put the latches on the doors.

[LovemyBoo]

My husband always asks me what is going on, and the majority of the time I can't remember or spit it out if I can.

That was the really odd part for me. He seemed completely aware of me and acted like he really wanted to tell me what was wrong, but just couldn't. His awareness of me talking to him made me think (at the time) that he was completely awake. I have no experience with sleepwalking so this is all new to me.

skybluepink02 - I am concerned about him going outside or hurting himself. We live in a 2 level home and the main living area and all the bedrooms are on the ground level. It's not 20 feet from his bedroom door to the front door. Although what worries me the most is I think he'd try to go downstairs to the basement to dh's lair. I worry about him going down the stairs. We may have to put up a gate, but he knows how to climb over all of them since we put them up for his sister. I'm just hoping Friday night was a rare occurance.

[shanagirl]

I second the potential for him to go outside. My oldest sister walked in her sleep and went outside several times. My mom had to resort to hiding the key to the front door under her pillow.

[skybluepink02]

My parents latched the doors with a high latch, too high for him to reach. By the time he could reach it he outgrew sleepwalking...maybe an idea for your problem? Otherwise, if you see him sleepwalking, just gently tell him to go back to bed and maybe help lead him there yourself. I'm not sure about the two stories thing. We had a one story house but I can see where the stairs would worry you. Maybe use a dog gate? they are higher than baby gates and might pose more of an obstacle to your son.

[LovemyBoo]

Thank you! It hasn't happened again. If it does we'll put a bigger gate up. I'm still hoping it won't be a regular occurance.