Diagnosis

A person's history usually provides enough information for a doctor to diagnose sleepwalking, especially in children. More difficult cases may require a consultation with a sleep specialist and an overnight sleep test called polysomnography. During this test, various body functions are recorded while the person is sleeping. In rare cases, a brainwave recording (electroencephalogram or EEG) may be ordered to rule out seizures.

Expected Duration

Children usually stop sleepwalking during adolescence. However, sleepwalking continues beyond puberty in 1% to 6% of the population.

Sleep terrors are most common between the ages of 1 and 8, but may begin as early as 6 months and occasionally last into adulthood.