Being a parent of a sleepwalking child Is terrifying (and creepy)

Following the doctor's advice, I have been locking my son in his room at night to ensure his safety. [iStockphoto]

It was 2300hrs, I was surprised to see my 4-year-old son walk to the living room and turn on the television.

I thought it was one of his jumpy behaviours and commanded him to turn off the television and return to his bedroom.

Taking a closer look at him, I realised that his eyes were still closed.

I patted his back in an attempt to wake him up but he fainted on my hands, that's when it dawned on me that my son might have been sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is a behaviour disorder that makes a child partly wake up and walk while they are asleep.

The following morning, he could not remember the incident of the previous night.

That's when I connected to his behaviour of changing sleep positions every day.

Previously, we could wake up with the rest of the family members to find him lying on the couch in the living room.

Out of curiosity, I decided to stay awake until late in the night to monitor him since he was so playful.

After the shocking revelation, I decided to keep watch at night fearing that he could get injured by any household materials in the dark.

Then one night when there was a power blackout, he had another episode.

As he tried to put on the television, he failed and started throwing away electrical gadgets all over the room.

I imagined finding my son shocked by electricity and I was petrified by his action as all was a mess.

I reached out to share the issue with my neighbour who laughed out at the condition saying the boy inherited the behaviour of his parents.

Others advised me to discipline my child when he's in the act because they thought that he was doing it consciously.

That's when I opted to seek medical attention.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor told me that sleepwalking was a normal condition in children of his age and that he would soon outgrow it.

Following the doctor's advice, I have been locking my son in his room at night to ensure his safety.

My son still sleepwalks, and at times I find him struggling to open his bedroom window and door.

I am just keeping an eye on him always to ensure his safety.

- As narrated to Sharon Wanga, a Standard Group Reporter

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