Why do children sleepwalk?

Sleepwalking often occurs in children. About 1% to 6% of children will occasionally sleepwalk. Generally, sleepwalking is not surprising. It is a pathological reaction. Sleepwalking is mainly caused by sleep disorders or family genetics. If this happens frequently, parents need to take their children to the hospital for a relevant examination.

Sleepwalking is clearly an altered state of consciousness. The patient loses touch with his surroundings and seems to live in a private world. He would sometimes get very emotional and even talk a lot of nonsense, making it difficult for people around him to understand what he was saying. He seemed to be engaged in a meaningful activity. This activity is often a symbolic re-enactment of his repressed painful experiences. After the sleepwalking ends, the patient has no memory of having done so.

(1) Frequent walking during sleep, usually in the first three stages of sleep.

(2) When sleepwalking, the patient's facial expression is dull and he or she basically does not respond to stimulation from others. It is also difficult to awaken the sleepwalker by force.

(4) Within a few minutes of waking up from the sleepwalking state, the patient's mental activity and behavior are not impaired (although the patient may be confused and disoriented in the initial moments of waking up).

(5) There are no organic factors such as epilepsy involved in the initiation and progress of sleepwalking.