Is This Normal? - New Milford, NJ

A.,

That is perfectly normal. My son did the same thing for the longest time, and his eyeballs would drift outward as if they were each looking in a different direction--THAT looked really freaky. I would push his eyelids down, but they wouldn't stay closed. I think he was around 2 when he outgrew it. He's 5 now and rarely does it anymore, and when he does, they are just slits.
Like me, you'll laugh about it later.

K.

My son did too... their nerves and stuff are not completely coordinated yet - my son did grow out of it by about 6 months.
S. B

Freaky, weird to see yet extremely normal!!!!!

LOL, (I'm not laughing at you..I'm laughing because I know what you mean.) My daughter does it sometimes too...but honestly I never thought much of it. Eventually her eyes shut. I'm going to check back in with this one and see what some of the responses are....good question!!

This is totally normal. I sleep with my eyes open sometimes, and so does my 2 year old, and we are both healthy and well rested. It's a little freaky, but nothing's wrong with him.

My daughter who is 6 mo does the same thing... One eye would be closed and the other one would be almost half open... it looks like she is looking at me but she is knocked out! lol... I dont see why you should worry ... it seems totally normal.

My six year old has been doing it since she was two. She still does. I used to be afraid to go in her room because it was freaky. I know what you mean.

Gently touch his eyelids above his eyelashes, and he'll shut his eyes (they all do LOL). I don't believe it's harmful that they keep them a tiny bit open, but of course it dries out the eyes somewhat and could make them sore or dry or itchy when he wakes up. Just gently touch his eyelids, it won't disturb him at all, he'll just shut his eyes. I've had to do this with all 5 of my kids so ya just know it's THAT common! :)

Dear A.,
my daugther is 4 months and she does the same think it is kinda freaky but normal lolshe /he see's the angels i always say

HI A. its me again I forgot to give u a answer about your son with sleeping with his eyes open my 2 year old did that and sometimes he still does, not as much . I really think he will just grow out of it. It does seem a little freaky but I think thats the way they sleep its nothing dangerous or to worry about. hope I helped.

Hi A.. My son is a little over 5 months old now and he used to do the same thing. Completely freaked me out! You could see his eyes roll back in his head. Is it the same with your son? If so, it will quit. My son hasn't done it in a while now. Hope this helps a little to put your mind at ease!
K.

I don't think there is anything wrong with this. My daughter does not do this. However, I do! No one ever mentioned it to me (meaning my grandmother and father who raised me). I did not learn that I did this until I was in college. When my boyfriend at the time commented on it I thought he was lying so I asked my grandmother if I did this and they said "yes" like it was no big deal. It is just how some people sleep. Some sleepwalk, some talk in their sleep, some sleep with their eyes half open, and some do all three (I no longer sleepwalk lol) I think it is just how some of us are. No worries. But if it concerns ask your pediatrician about it.

My daughter does it too! Especially if she falls asleep nursing. It is freaky, sometimes she rolls her eyes and all I see is white! I'd say it is probably normal, just like how they cross their eyes a lot when they are newborns. My fiance was really worried about that one!! Their eyes are still developing and adjusting so I'd say that he will most likely outgrow it.

Hi A.,
I have a two year old boy. Yes! it is completly normal. My son slept with his eyes half open for a long time and everyonce in a while he does it now.. My husband and I called them "peekys". Your son will out grow it.

This IS completely normal and I think that I would have been freaked out too when my son did this if my sister still did not do this!
Nothing to freak out about :)
-Dr. Heather

It is, in my opinion, perfectly normal. I'll admit, it is freaky, but it is okay. My youngest son does this sometimes (since birth) and my grandfather still does it too.

yes, this is completely normal. My daughter is almost 5 months and still does it. She also barks and makes other noises in her sleep.. most of their sleep is REM (rapid eye movement) and so as they dream in this state their eyes will obviously move and their muscles in the eyes and lids are still in the developing stages and can easily be opened but yet they wont wake up. When my daughter was a up to and beyond a couple months old she would actually sleep with her eyes open and smile and you would think she was wake and talk to her but nope she was still sound asleep. So don't worry too much about it he will eventually grow out of it as his eyes, and eyelids and brain start to all work together.. good luck and if you have any other questions feel free to email me.
T.

As long as he's actually getting adequate sleep, it should be nothing to worry about.

My daughter started doing this when she was an infant, also at about three months old. She would half-open her eyes, seeming almost awake at times (although she was not), and she would also giggle, sob, reach out into the air for things that weren't there.

What is happening is that when they enter into REM sleep the inhibitors in the brain that keep our bodies from physically acting out our dreams aren't inhibiting as well as they do in most people. This can happen in people of any age, however it is much more noticeable in infants, as their sleep cycles are only 15-20 minutes long, as opposed to 45-60 minute adult cycles. It is also more common in infants and young children, and most do outgrow it. It is not a problem at all, unless it is so active that it wakes them. Sadly, my daughter would wake every time she began to dream because her body became so active, which led to years of sleep deprivation for her and for us. However, she did outgrow it, and she is now a healthy, happy 11-year-old.

The funny thing is that one of our dogs does it, as well. She half-opens her eyes and her legs begin to scrabble on the couch...I think she is dreaming about chasing squirrels!
It sounds like your son's situation is not unusual and very mild, and as long as he is sleeping, I wouldn't worry. When that happens, he's just dreaming!

my 8 month daughter does the same thing..she will even follow me with her eyes when she is sleeping..it is kinda freaky but her father, my husband, did the same thing and he still does it...

I don't know if he'll outgrow it, I know a few adults who do it..I am sure it is normal, but ask his doctor if your worried. GL