Symptom Finder - Sleepwalking
SLEEPWALKING
The differential diagnosis of this disorder is relatively simple, so we need not use a mnemonic or one of the basic sciences to develop a differential.
It should be distinguished from night terrors which occur in stages 3 and 4 of non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. If sleepwalking and night terrors only occur occasionally, it is normal and of no pathologic significance. If they are frequent and associated with other signs of an emotional disorder such as bedwetting, temper tantrums, and anxiety, it is probably due to a psychologic or social problem and the patient needs to be referred to a psychiatrist. However, before doing so it is well to do a wake-and-sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) to exclude epilepsy. It may be necessary to do the EEG with nasopharyngeal electrodes inserted.
The differential diagnosis of this disorder is relatively simple, so we need not use a mnemonic or one of the basic sciences to develop a differential.
It should be distinguished from night terrors which occur in stages 3 and 4 of non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. If sleepwalking and night terrors only occur occasionally, it is normal and of no pathologic significance. If they are frequent and associated with other signs of an emotional disorder such as bedwetting, temper tantrums, and anxiety, it is probably due to a psychologic or social problem and the patient needs to be referred to a psychiatrist. However, before doing so it is well to do a wake-and-sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) to exclude epilepsy. It may be necessary to do the EEG with nasopharyngeal electrodes inserted.