Eating and sleep disorders: management of childhood sleepwalking: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Eating and sleep disorders: management of childhood sleepwalking

Sample item

A 7-year-old walks around the house about an hour after falling asleep once or twice a month and does not recall it. Examination is normal. What is the most appropriate management?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Reassurance with bedroom safety measures

Childhood sleepwalking arises from partial arousal out of N3 sleep and usually resolves by adolescence. Reassurance, a regular sleep schedule and a safe environment (secured windows and stairs) are enough. Drugs are rarely needed.

Option by option

  • A. Reassurance with bedroom safety measures (correct)

    Correct. The condition is benign and self-limiting, so safety and reassurance suffice.

  • B. EEG and MRI of the brain for every child

    Neuroimaging and EEG are not indicated for typical sleepwalking with a normal examination.

  • C. Nightly antipsychotic medication

    Antipsychotics are unnecessary and risky for a benign parasomnia.

  • D. Forcibly waking him during each episode

    Forceful waking can cause confusion and distress and does not help.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is A, Reassurance with bedroom safety measures. Childhood sleepwalking arises from partial arousal out of N3 sleep and usually resolves by adolescence.

Why is "EEG and MRI of the brain for every child" not the answer?

Neuroimaging and EEG are not indicated for typical sleepwalking with a normal examination.

Why is "Nightly antipsychotic medication" not the answer?

Antipsychotics are unnecessary and risky for a benign parasomnia.

Why is "Forcibly waking him during each episode" not the answer?

Forceful waking can cause confusion and distress and does not help.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Eating and sleep disorders: management of childhood sleepwalking in Psychiatry. Reassurance, a regular sleep schedule and a safe environment (secured windows and stairs) are enough. Drugs are rarely needed.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Eating and sleep disorders: management of childhood sleepwalking?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.