Night Terrors - Thornton, IL

My daughter is now 10 but When she was about that age she use to have them all of the time too. Actualy if I rember right she would have them in stages sometimes every night for a week or so, and then it would go away for awhile and come back. She would also get them more then once in the night!!! I sympathise (sorry I cant spell) The thing is you realy cant do anything. Trying to wake her will make it worse. She does still get them if she is over done. Like if we go on vacation or something. She never remembers them though.

My 3 yr old started having night terrors when she was about 16 months old. We realized that they usually occured on days that she was overly tired or missed a nap. Basically, every day that she spent with my SIL she'd skip her nap, and it would happen that night. After we made sure she didn't miss naps, they stopped.
I also read that kids who have night terrors often become sleep walkers. Since I come from a line of sleep walkers (I still talk in my sleep quite often), I think maybe it has been inherited from me. Hopefully she'll outgrow it soon! I know it's scary and frustrating! Hang in there:)

My son went through it bad for awhile, but doesn't have them now unless he's extremely overtired and going down late. My younger daughter has light ones, just cries for a moment, and I can put her back in an instant. For both of them, they happen at the same time like clockwork (his is an hour and 15 minutes after he falls asleep, hers is more like 2 hours). Doctors often recommend that you wake them once after they fall alseep, but before the terror usually occurs (say after 45 minutes or an hour), just gentle enough so that she opens her eyes and has to fall back asleep. It seems to disrupt the cycle, like a reset button. And when the terrors do happen, I found that there wasn't much I could do but sit with my son and rub his back until it passed. Talking made it worse, the most I would say was a quiet SHHHHH, it's OK... He also has a Baby Tad in his bed that plays music before he goes to sleep, so I play that for a few minutes. It's familiar music that he sleeps to, so it helps to calm him.
Yes, this too shall pass... hang in there!

My daughter had several when she was around 2 yrs old as well. The first of which I took her to the ER for because she was screaming, then went limp and would not respond to me and her eyes were rolling back into her head!
They did all sorts of testing and determing that it was a night terror, which they also gave me information about and explained that it was VERY common for that age and that she would outgrow it and that she would probably not remember having them the next day (she never did.)
They told me to make her comfortable, not to try and force wake her, etc. and to set a bedtime routine that was the same every night. She had several over the course of that year and they have never returned.
:( I know it is hard because it really seems like they are hurting, etc.!! Take her to a ped. just to be sure that is what is going on (let them rule out pain, etc.) and get some advice from the ped. as well if you can, or search the internet, etc. Maybe there is a yahoo support group for parents with children who have night terrors, etc. that you could join??
Best of luck,
Amanda (daughter to Pixie, now 6 yrs old)

PS- Often night pain in legs is a symptom of potassium deficiencies. This can be helped by eating bananas. ;)

Leave her light on - at least put a 15 watt bulb in one of her lamps and leave it on all night. My son was having the same trouble and a friend of mine told be to do that. A night light is not enough it leaves shadows. It worked instantly and is still working.

I did use a 40 watt bulb to begin with and then downgraded to a 15 watt bulb and he is still fine. I think he had one crying spell once in the last 4 months. He calmed down immediately and slept the rest of the night.

I wish you luck - that was a very frustrating time - especially when I felt completely helpless in trying to calm him down.

M.,

My daughter had the same thing a few months ago--it happened two nights in a row, then stopped-- she said her legs hurt. then another friend of mine with a son had a very similar thing--though his lasted a lot longer. My friend took her son to the doctor and they told her that it was "growing pains" and that it commonly happens at night to kids who are really active during the day, then at night experience pain in muscles and joints during resting periods.

another possibility is that this is just a manisfestation of problems with her father leaving? I guess I would start with talking to your pediatrician, then take it from there.

Good luck!

Dear M.,
I do not have any advice other that to see your doctor but I was so touched with whats happening to you. I have you guys in my thoughts and prayers. If I find anything out about this I will let you know. I can't imagine what youre going thru. I will ask some friends for help. D.

Sorry, for your situation, its tough alone..but in regards to youur daughter, HANG IN THERE.. this too will pass... it might seem like forever.. but it wont.. be, my daughter did the same around the 18mon -2.5 years stages..and then its over.. and you will have other problems...:)
be happy, stay warm!

She could be having this reaction due to your recent separation. Try and talk to her about it in a non-confrontational way.

We experienced it for the first time this week. Our 3 1/2 yo son had them 2 nights in a row. After researching, it happens primarily with boys and is a physiological thing. It can happen when they are overtired and it was recommended to use some lavendar essential oil (I rub a little on the back of his neck and will use a lavendar spray from Marshall's on his pillow). They also recommended having bathtime in the morning instead of at night due to overstimulation. When we got our son back on a sleep routine (his normal bedtime) and typical rituals (reading 3 books before bed) he's been fine.

A night terror is when the body is awake and the child is still sleeping. sort of like sleepwalking. Keep objects away that your child can hurt themselves on.

The research also stated that the night terrors typically occur in kids 3-7 and overwhelmingly boys. If they continue, call your pediatrician.

Rule out as many things as possible, if it is an earache they will usually jerk away if you touch their ear. It may be leg cramps just from growing. Have you tried giving her chewable children's tylenol...or motrin to see if her panic stops? Maybe you can time it so that she gets Tylenol just before bedtime and see if the pattern changes to help you pinpoint the problem. It is not a permanent solution, but it can be used to figure it out.