Toddler's First Encounter with Night Terrors

My daughter started having those around age 1 1/2, she is now 4, she still has them a couple of times a week but nothing like she use to. She use to have them several times a night, every night. There is really nothing you can do for them, we tried everything, new routines, medicines, etc. Seems like they out grow them as they get older. Good luck!

A.,

I have a grandson who is 13 now but I raised him for 3 years while my stepdaugter lived with me. She fell and broke her ankle and was laid up for 3 months when he was about 7 months old. The responsibility of my grandson at night fell to me and he had the night terrors. I spoke to the doctor about it and he had told me that the only think you can do is hold them so they don't hurt themselves or others until it is over. Talk and keep talking in a calming soothing voice. It takes a while to get through sometimes but it eventually you will get through. I even would put on soothing music if I had someone with me to help. I would sing and keep talking in a low voice in his ear. This lasted several months and we had a difficult time with it but it eventually stopped. You just have to be patient. Good luck.

My older daughter suffered with these for many years. We found that all we could do was talk to her in a soothing voice and wait for her to actually wake up. It usually took about 20-30 minutes before she was totally aware. If these become common you might want to keep track of what went on during the day to trigger them. For us, it was usually being over tired that triggered them. Best of luck. I know it was scary, but they are quite common.

Both my kids have had this at one time or another. They are 3 and 5 now. It is scary. I just hold them and talk to them and try to reassure them until they calm down. Hope this helps.

SCARY!! Yes... My son (now 4) used to have night terrors (at about the same age, 2) and I didn't know what to do. I thought at first it was bad dreams but them I realized that he had NO CLUE what was going on and didn't remember them in the morning. My dr told me there wasn't anything we could really do to get rid of them and to be honest I don't remember doing anything particular but they did go away. I remember just making sure there wasn't anything loud, scary or harmful near bedtime and limited him watching tv before bed as well. It was almost as it was a phase but it's not its actually a sleep disorder. My son has always been a big "dreamer" and still is and I'm not sure what triggered the night terrors but don't bother trying to get him to "snap out of it" because it won't work. The good thing is they don't remember what happened. I remember one time my son "woke up" and looked at me like I was crazy because he didn't know why I was holding him and asking him if he was okay. I did some internet searches on them and maybe that will give you some background and help. Good Luck. If they continue or get really bad you might want to call the dr back.

A.,
My oldest experienced these. They seemed to happen after a very busy/stressful time. The first night after returning home fromGrandma's house or the first night after my sister and her children visited.
She continued to experience them on and off for about 3 years.
It did seem to help if we made these transitions earlier in the day - allowing her some time to re-center before bedtime routines began.
I hope this helps your son.
L. G

A.,

There is a sleep disorder where the child wakes up, but is still in the dream. It's like the sub consious and concious both have control at the same time...not a very good experience. Definately, talk to your doctor. They'll know what to do.

K.

I do remember my son & daughter having these when they were a bit younger. I recently was reading a parenting magazine in the pediatrician's office (Greenvale Ped's) There was an advertisement for a product called "Calms Forte 4 Kids" made by Hylands. I have used their teething tablets and earache tablets before. The advertisement said it helps with night terrors, growing pains, restlessness and sleeplessness in kids. It caught my attention because my kids both have growing pains. Here is the website with more info: http://www.hylands.com/products/calms4kids.php
It might be worth trying. Of course, with all medications, homeopathic or otherwise, you want to read the label, ingredients, and even consult your doctor.

Of course, I always recommend prayer for these things - we as parents need all the help we can get!

Blessings,
D.

I have had that problem with my son when he was 3. We went to the doctor and they said there was nothing they could do. At bed time, my husband and I talked to him and assured him there was nothing to be afraid of (monsters, etc.). He still has them every now and then, but they are not as bad as they were. Just keep talking to him telling him everything is ok and wait for him to wake up. I hope that helps!

My son has night terrors at times too. But don't try to wake him. And don't put water in his face. That will just make the nightmare worse. Just comfort him and sothe him till he wakes up.
We walk around with our son and sing his favorite soothing songs. It only takes 5 minutes or less for him to wake-up. I have found that milk or toast or peanut butter sandwich before he goes to sleep helps him sleep through the night without waking and no night terrors. I don't know if the feeling of hunger triggers the terrors or the sensation of feeling full kees them away. But it helps.

Good luck this too shall pass, but you can't wake them up. And don't do something tramatic to try to wake them.

My daughter(now 4) did this when she was between 18mths, and 2 years old. She would wake up screaming and throwing herself around her bed like a child possessed. We suffered with this for 6 months, her Dr. said she should grow out of it, but it just seemed to get worse the older she got. I finally took her to see a different Pediatrician, and his first question to me was: "Is she on any medication daily?" She was taking Zyrtec, and had been since she was 12 months old. He told me to take her off that and see if it would help. Sure enough by the third night without the Zyrtec, the nightterrors were gone. She hasn't had one since. I don't know if your son is taking any medication or not, but it might be worth a shot to check with his Ped. and see if this helps. I hope this helps, please post later and let me know how things turn out. Good Luck!!

HI,I have a 5 year old who has nigt terrors, it really scared me at first( well it still does). Its a horrible thing to experience when there is nothing you can do to help, but like the other moms I was told to just watch him and not let him hurt himself. It really is worse on us, my 5 year old never remembers, he always says he didnt dream anything lastnight. When he wakes up he looks at me like Im the crazy one for being in his room. At first he had them every night for a week, now its only once a month or so. However dont say to much to him about it bc he will not remember, and my son started to get a complex about it bc he overheard me telling a friend about what happened once, I dont talk about in front of him anymore. He is a very normal, happy, and hiper 5 year old. GOOD LUCK.

My son is almost 3 and occasionally does what you have described. It doesn't matter how many times you reassure them that momma's here or daddy's here they continue to cry out. It usually takes him about 10 min. to get him to calm down. We too went to the doctor but one thing the doctor mentioned to us that we didn't know was that if you eat before you go to bed you are more likely to have a bad dream.

My daughter, now 6, used to have night terrors regularly. It is so scary to watch your child go through this, as they seem to be almost possessed. We were told just to be with her to make sure she didn't hurt herself while kicking, etc. The night terrors would usually last about 10-15 minutes, and then subside. My daughter would have no recollection of it in the morning. After about a year or so, they suddenly stopped, and she hasn't had any in about 2 years. Please know that this is harder on you than on your son. I sat there many nights crying while she was going through this. Good luck... it will get better.

Hi A.,
I am not sure if my kids have ever had these but they have at times woken up in the middle of the night crying-that type of thing, but they were easily consoled and went right back to sleep...they also did not 'look off to the side.' This may just have been your son's way of dealing w/his frightening experience but just thought I'd let you know that you may want to check a little deeper in to that b/c my first thought was to me it shouldn't have taken him that long to look at you and your husband, or that long to get over the exp, etc. Just make sure it was a 'night tremor' and nothing else ya know?! Hope that helps.