Behavioral Treatments for Non-Rapid Eye Movement Parasomnias in Children

Abstract

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias are common in childhood and include a range of clinical presentations including confusional arousals, sleepwalking, sleep terrors, and sleep-related eating disorder. While parasomnia episodes can be dramatic and elicit concern from parents, parasomnias are predominantly benign and self-limited. A comprehensive clinical evaluation is necessary for appropriate diagnosis and ruling out underlying medical disorders. For youth with parasomnia episodes that are infrequent or limited in severity, standard treatment recommendations, including safety measures and minimizing triggering factors, are highlighted. Scheduled awakening is an evidence-based behavioral treatment that can be effective at decreasing or resolving frequent and severe NREM parasomnias but may be burdensome for parents to implement.