A 6-year-old hospitalized...

A 6-year-old child’s parents hospitalized her because of her visual hypnagogic hallucinations and other symptoms over the last ten months. There was no familial history of mental disorders.

After one month of these nocturnal symptoms, other symptoms started to occur during the day. Her parents initially attributed it to her poor sleep. Other symptoms include 2 to 10-minute episodes during the night when she was unresponsive, and her limbs were flaccidly followed by agitation when she woke. She gained 7kg within ten months despite having a regular diet.

Blood tests reports were regular. Skull MRI demonstrated that the right hippocampal sulcus was slightly widened. Other radiographic reports were also regular. Nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) showed reduced average sleep latency at 6 to 8 minutes, increased number of awakenings, disturbed sleep-wake cycle, shortened REM latency and increased proportion of REM. 

Based on her medical records and investigatory reports, she was diagnosed and given methylphenidate. As a result, her symptoms resolved, and her daily sleep was significantly reduced.