“What medication helps a teenager who is sleepwalking?”
My 13 year old daughter has been sleepwalking for the last month. What medication helps a teenager who is sleepwalking?
2 Answers
No medication is needed unless safety is an issue. This usually resolves without treatment.
Hello,
This sleep concern may happen because of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is a common cause of sleep restlessness, sleep movements, and sleep walking. Since she is 13 years old, then her total body iron may be reduced enough to be the cause. First step - have blood testing done for serum iron and serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels. Any reduction in serum iron and serum ferritin calls for oral replacement therapy, and this may resolve her sleep disturbances. The pediatrician or family medicine practitioner can provide the order and dialogue and guidance. Oral iron tablets can be taken easily though some of the tablets do upset the stomach and cause constipation. So, management requires careful selection -- Slow FE is easy
to take, as are child liquid formulations. So start with this.
Rex
This sleep concern may happen because of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is a common cause of sleep restlessness, sleep movements, and sleep walking. Since she is 13 years old, then her total body iron may be reduced enough to be the cause. First step - have blood testing done for serum iron and serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels. Any reduction in serum iron and serum ferritin calls for oral replacement therapy, and this may resolve her sleep disturbances. The pediatrician or family medicine practitioner can provide the order and dialogue and guidance. Oral iron tablets can be taken easily though some of the tablets do upset the stomach and cause constipation. So, management requires careful selection -- Slow FE is easy
to take, as are child liquid formulations. So start with this.
Rex
