When my first child came along, she was generally a good sleeper. If she ever called out during the night, it was usually a simple fix—her blanket had fallen off, she needed to use the bathroom, or I hadn’t turned on the nightlight. As a parent, I felt equipped to handle these minor sleep disturbances.
But one night, everything changed. My daughter let out a terrified scream that jolted me awake. I rushed to her room, expecting to comfort her after a bad dream, but what I encountered was far from typical. She was in a panic, unable to recognize me or respond to my attempts to soothe her. My sweet three-year-old was lost in a world of fear, asking for things only she could see. It was then that I realized she was experiencing her first night terror.
I quickly discovered that night terrors, or parasomnia, are quite different from nightmares. When a child wakes from a nightmare, they can articulate their fear. They might remember the dream and feel anxious at bedtime. In contrast, night terrors occur before REM sleep and typically happen about one to two hours after a child falls asleep. They generally affect children aged three to twelve, and while they can be unsettling for parents, kids usually have no memory of these episodes.
For me, the worry and confusion were overwhelming. My daughter appeared frightened, but I had no idea how to help her. Touching or shaking her only resulted in her swatting at me. When she asked for water, she pushed it away when I offered it. This back-and-forth could last for as long as thirty minutes before she would finally settle back down, leaving me bewildered.
Sometimes, she would wander her room, searching for something that wasn’t there. Other times, she would shout her siblings’ names, seemingly upset about something that had happened. Most of her night terrors seemed to stem from genuine fear, and until I figured out how to handle them, I was scared too.
With time, I learned that the best approach was to ensure her safety. I made sure to remove anything she could trip over and kept her bedroom door shut. I also trusted that she would be okay. Watching her go through such distress was difficult, but forcing her awake only made things worse. Dr. Maya Collins, a child psychologist, advises against waking a child during a night terror; instead, she suggests calmly guiding them back to bed and allowing the episode to pass.
Night terrors can be triggered by various factors—stress, a new sleeping environment, sleep deprivation, fever, or certain medications. Because fatigue is a significant contributor, Dr. Collins recommends putting children to bed earlier to help prevent these disturbances. Most children outgrow night terrors by the time they reach adolescence, but if sleep disruptions persist, it’s wise to consult with a pediatrician or healthcare provider.
Interestingly, night terrors often run in families. My youngest daughter has started to experience them, albeit less frequently. When I ask either girl about their nighttime escapades, they look at me as if I’m the one who had been stumbling around in the dark. My eldest, now eight, hasn’t had an episode in a year, but she still chuckles at her sister’s antics, like the time she woke up demanding money for an ice cream truck that wasn’t even there.
Although these situations are unsettling, they often lead to amusing stories. Just because children don’t seem bothered by night terrors doesn’t mean they don’t disrupt sleep. In fact, poor sleep can lead to more episodes, creating an undesirable cycle. Maintaining a consistent bedtime routine and ensuring a safe sleeping environment can help alleviate these issues.
Rest assured, night terrors are harmless, and your child will likely grow out of them. While it can be exhausting to witness your child’s nighttime chaos, you might just find a humorous anecdote waiting at the end of the tunnel. For more insights, you can explore this related blog post as well as this authority on the subject. If you’re looking for additional resources on genetics and IVF, check out this informative link.
Summary
Night terrors, unlike nightmares, occur during non-REM sleep and are common in young children. While they can be distressing for parents to witness, children typically do not remember the episodes. Safety is paramount during these events, and most kids grow out of night terrors with age.