Night Terrors?? - Crystal Lake,IL

Shannon,
My daughter is 5 and sometimes does this type of thing and I attribute it to the fact that she has so much more stimulation at this age and sometimes wakes up as if she were over tired and seems stressed. My daughter is in preschool everyday and is very active. I agree with you, I don't actually think it is night terrors, and although she seems to be able to understand when I am talking to her, she is actually half asleep and is too upset to respond. I usually tuck her back in bed and try to sooth her back to sleep by rubbing her back and talking softly. I have given up on trying to ask her what is wrong as she will not respond because she is half out of it. I think it will pass and I understand how frustrating it can be as I am a full time commuting/working mom.

Yup. Those are night terrors alright. I used to get them when I was a kid. Had 'em for 2 yrs straight. Trust me, my mother didn't get much sleep for those 2 yrs. Comfort her when she "wakes up" by "switching her dream". Talk about something that she loves or enjoys. Did you know that when she responds to you, she isn't fully awake. She's "sleep talking". If you'd like to chat more about this, just email me back, Sweetie! Good Luck!!

My two older daughters experienced night terrors. They'd babble and talk in their sleep at a 100 miles/minute. Their eyes would be wide open and it seemed like they were awake but they'd never remember anything in the morning. We found that there was a pattern and they'd always wake up about 90 min exactly after they fell asleep, no matter what time they went to bed. We talked to the pediatrician too and what they eventually advised us to do was to gradually wake them up about 15 min before their usual night terror was expected. Turn on a dim light, offer them a glass of water, walk them downstairs into the kitchen, prod them to use the bathroom, talk to them and try to get them to conversate - if only briefly. Then after about 5 min of that, walk them back to bed and lay them back down. My daughters didn't do this simultaneously (fortunately) but when the younger daughter started about a year after, we knew what to do. Eventually they grew out of it and after a few weeks they each went back to their usual sleep patterns. I know what you're probably thinking - A FEW WEEKS - yes, but it helped us and they're both very well adjusted, happy, healthy teen agers now. Also, Google NIGHT TERRORS or get a 2nd opinion from another pediatrician. Good luck!

Has anything changed in her life new school, new anything check that I hate to say this but could anyone be hurting her you just never know and I know, know mom wants to think that but you just cant trust people these days so I just wanted to throw that out there I would just check all your options and if there could be no little or big problem to cause this then maybe it is just nothing big and it will pass. Maybe sleep with her a couple of nights and see if she says anything or what have you.

My daughter also has had night terrors. They don't remember a thing in the morning. It's actually a form of sleep walking...just another type of sleep disorder. Night terrors occur early in the sleep cycle, not during the middle of the night like nightmares. During a night terror, your daughter may talk, look around, move, cry...but she won't know she's doing any of it.

We learned with our daughter to just let the night terror run it's course...usually just a few minutes, but sometimes much longer. We watch her to make sure she's safe and doesn't hurt herself by falling out of bed or waving her arms wildly and hitting something. When it's done, she'll just lay down or roll over and go back to sleep like it never happened.

With nightmares they can usually tell you in the morning what the bad dream was about. Or they will wake up and talk to you and then cry.

Best of luck!

My daughter has experienced night terrors for a couple years, but thankfully not as often as they used to be. I could almost count on her having one if she was over tired. That was the trend anyway. I did some reading and of course, talked with her pediatrician...the best and most most consistent advice was that to make sure she was in a safe environment so that she couldn't hurt herself. My daughter tended to thrash around a lot. Nor should you try to wake them as you really can't anyway. Before I knew what was happening, I would try to wake her with any means necessary. It can be tough to be that patient at night. My daughter's used to last sometimes up to 40 minutes. Agh...I know this isn't much help, but know that as she gets older, she will grow out of them. I also would turn on the TV with a cartoon in a dark room and turn up the volume. Sometimes this will help her come out of it. anyway, I do feel for you, because it is a very helpless feeling for a parent.

My 7yr old daughter has a simular problem. She'll wake up in the middle of the night crying. I ask her what's the matter & usually she tells me a part of her body hurts or tells me it was a nightmare. The next day she doesn't even remember it. It's been awhile since shes up with a problem, but asks what if I have a bad dream? I tell her she knows where my room is & she can come sleep with me if she has one.

My son was 3 when he had his first "night terror." I didn't go to the doctor about it, I just read about it in "What to expect, the toddler years." I just narrowed it down. He had a total of about 3 in the course of a couple weeks. It was during the time I tried to get rid of his afternoon naps. I think I read that when a child is over tired, they run the risk of a night terror. It is sooo weird when they are going through it!!!! He answered me too, and nothing would calm him down. I just tried to take it in stide and not wake him, cuz I guess that makes it worse. It is very scary and can last a long time. I am sure you already know that. I am sorry that you are having to go through this, and I hope that it gets better for you guys. I still give my son a nap during the day and he hasn't had one since. Good luck!
T.

I have heard that when you have bad dreams, you should just drink water, since your body is thirsty.

My daughter has night terrors. I read about some old-fashioned remedies. The theory was that the child was too warm. It recommended to avoid overdressing for bed and make sure there aren't a lot of pillows/stuffed animals/bedding by the child's head. It also said that during a night terror to put a cool washcloth on the feet would help the child to stop and go back to sleep. It sounds totally crazy, I know but it totally worked for us. Good luck.

Hi Shannon,
I'm new to this site, and I guess a late response is sometimes better than nothing right? My son has had night terrors since he was able to dream!! He is 4 now, and still has them very frequently. My pediatrician was wonderful at explaining exactly why they occur. Although she can hear you and respond to you, she won't remember anything about the terror if she wakes up. Basically, you have to do the most un-natural thing, and just let them be. As long as she is safe, she'll be OK. They occur because the body and brain haven't slowed down at the same time. Her mind is staying active and she's responding to that. I've also found that if my son is over tired it's almost guaranteed that one will come on. He's had so many, and acted differently with each one. Let me know if this helps. You may already have your solution but I thought I might share my experience.

Yep, night terrors. I have gone and continue to go through this. My sons 6 and 4 have gone or continue with this. My 6 year old doesn't do it any longer he stopped when he was 6. My 4 year old is doing this less and less (1 time a month now). It is night terrors. I know the signs. I stay at home with my kids also. The kids can't decern from fiction and non fiction at this age. So, I talk to them about it in the morning and get the same answer you do, but through the time, I tell them that they can change their dream. If something is scarry, just change it. I admit that Blues Clues Episode with Steve about dreams helped me to realize that they can. Plus, this epi helped my 6 year old and has continued to help my 4 year old. With my youngest we went from a night terror every night to 1 time a month. So, it is ok. If your gut tells you that it isn't, well have it checked out by another physician.

It has been my experience that little children, as trusting as they can be, also are very in tune to a "Seventh Sense" that adults are quick to lose touch with. I have chosen to be a stay at home mom and forgo major career successes and endure pains of criticisms for this reason. I simply did not want to ever stop feeling what they feel and only think like an adult. Well, that is sheer hogwash to some, but when my first born started waking up in the middle of the night and pacing in circles at age five it did not seem to be anybody's imagination. She would say rather distressed, "This is a bad dream, this is nothing but a bad dream." My other children have had similar moments, infact, my sixth child just turned four yesterday and woke up screaming after falling asleep at the end of the party. Chalk it up to too much excitement...or maybe it was the onset of an earache. That has been the real story on many occasions. The key is comfort. They may not know what is wrong, but they know you are the only one involved in their feelings enough to possibly figure it out. I always go down a check list with them. If you don't hit it on the head, they still get deep security from knowing you have given a very complete response. Make one that works for your child. Say "Is it your ear? Touch the ear that hurts. Is it your head? Do you need a drink? How's your tummy feeling?" Rub gently and touch each part and they will pull away for an answer if talking is not comfortable. Then say "How are your feelings? Are you scared?" When you are convinced they are safe, just hold them and rock them in a chair, rubbing their back. It speaks volumes, and it will eventually build them past whatever is sending them into bouts of fear. If they seem to be at risk of hurting themselves, seek more professional help.

I too have been having the same problems suddenly with my
2 1/2 year old son. He says there is a monster in his closet that keeps grabbing his pants (go ahead and laugh, I did too). Anyway, he wakes up screaming uncontrolably sometimes for up to an hour, I have even found him hiding in a corner in his room with his head between his knees. After MANY weeks of this we finally decided to ask him questions. To our surprise, he described my husbands sister that had died in a car crash 12 years ago (at age 8). We showed him a picture (which he had never seem up until this point) and with a look of fear he said yeas that is the monster. I usually do not believe in this sort of stuff, but it is strange. Maybe your daughter sees someone? I have been told that children can see "the unexplained" that we can't, maybe she is just realizing that this someone, really doesn't belong and it scares her. Again, I have to say I am very skeptical, but many people have told me it could happen. All I know is that something is scaring the pants (lol) off my son. Good luck to you and your daughter. I hope your problem is corrected soon. I know the feeling of being very impatient in the middle of the night. To solve our problem, we just let our son sleep with us, which doesn't give us much time, but he is so terrified to go into his room that I feel bad sending him in there.

My oldest had night terrors he was younger about 2/3 it tooks us weeks to figure it out,after about three hours of sleep his eyes would be open but he would just cry. Nothing comforted him then one night my husband stepped outside on to the patio and my son stopped crying and we were able to put him right back to bed. The next time we just stood by the open door and it worked again. It lasted for about a year (it wasn't every night) on and off and then it stopped like it started. At 5 her imagination is growing and she is going to dream more. Does she have to go potty my daughter use to cry out but not wake up I would take her potty she would go and I would put her right back to bed and she never knew anything about it the next morning.
Relax this to will pass and she will start something else remember never a dull moment with children in the house.

Sounds like night terrors. I used to get them when I was little. I did some research into them now that I have my own daughter...just so I can have a better grasp on them than my mom did if she ends up with them. I know that I at one point actually almost got out the front door. So be aware. Usually though I would just be sitting there talking or something and it would wake my mom up and I would never remember it the next morning. They say that you shouldn't wake the child up, but they also say that about 15 minutes before your child usually gets them to try to wake them up and then put them back to sleep. The night terror is apparently caused by some kind of stickiness in the brain where it is between REM sleep and wakefulness. Just rest assured she will grow out of it.

You sound like you are exactly like I am. Could she be too hot? Sometimes when they aren't the right temp it causes them to have nightmares or night terrors. I hate getting woken up in the middle of the night especially when they can't tell you what is wrong. My children will go through spurts where this will happen. It is usually because they are getting sick or the room temp. Hope this helps!
D.

my son and my friends daughter had the night terrors for a little while. They can talk but the dont usually respond to your specific questions. We put a night light and soothing music on after he woke up from the terrors and after a while he slept without the terrors, hope this helps. B.

When my son screams at night, I go in his room and start talking about taking a train ride to the zoo. I ask him what animal he wants to go see and talk about walking around the zoo. (This is something we did this summer that he loved!) His mood changes almost instantly. It is like his dream changes. I do however have to get to him before he screams to much and totally wakes himself up or gets to upset. I don't pick him up or touch him. I just start whispering in his ear. Give it a try. Good Luck.