In the majority of cases, a reassurance and education of the child and parents will suffice.
Parents should be encouraged to maintain good sleep hygiene and practices, specifically a consistent bedtime routine and schedule for the child.
The prevention of physical injuries is important in sleepwalking (e.g. installing gates at the top of the stairway, locking of windows and the main door). Parents should be advised to guide the child slowly and calmly back to the bed during a sleepwalking episode, without waking him/her. In children where these episodes are recurrent, a scheduled awakening just before the usual time of the first episode, on a nightly basis for a few weeks, may be effective.
Causes of fragmented sleep (e.g. obstructive sleep apnoea, periodic leg movement disorder) may worsen parasomnias, and if suspected, should be identified and treated. Medications are rarely needed.
