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Night terrors

By Raising Children Network
 
 

One minute children are sleeping like angels, the next they’re screaming and thrashing about – this is a night terror. Night terrors can be scary for you, but they don’t hurt or scare your child.

What to do

  • Avoid waking your child during a night terror. A child having a night terror will only be confused and disorientated if woken, and might take longer to settle.
  • Wait for your child to stop thrashing around. Guide your child back to bed, and tuck your child in. Children will usually settle back to sleep quickly at this stage. If you think your child might get hurt, stay close to guide your child away from hitting or bumping into the sides of the cot, bed or other obstacles.
  • You don’t need to be concerned about night terrors. They don’t mean there’s anything wrong with your child.
Night terrors seem scary to you, but they don’t harm your child. Children don’t remember them in the morning, and aren’t aware of having had a bad dream or a fright.

More information about night terrors

A night terror is when your child suddenly becomes very agitated while in a state of deep sleep. A night terror can last from a few minutes up to 40 minutes.

Children having night terrors might sit or stand up, shake, move about, and cry or scream loudly. They might look like they’re in extreme panic. A child having a night terror is inconsolable and will not respond to soothing or comforting.

During a night terror, your child’s eyes might be open. Children having night terrors might be moving and thrashing around, but they’re actually still in a state of deep sleep.

Night terrors are natural events associated with the normal development of sleep in children.

Only around 1-6% of children will experience night terrors. Generally they are seen in children between 18 months old and six years. They go away as children develop more mature forms of deep sleep.

Night terrors and nightmares

Night terrors are different from nightmares:

  • Night terrors happen during the first few hours of sleep when your child is sleeping very deeply. Nightmares tend to happen in the second half of the night during phases of REM sleep.
  • Night terrors are less common than nightmares.
  • Night terrors can run in families, suggesting that there is a genetic component to whether children will experience them.
Managing nightmares is quite different from managing night terrors. This is because a child who’s had a nightmare might wake up, remember the nightmare, and feel upset. For more information, read our article on nightmares.

When to get help

If you’re still concerned, or the night terrors seem prolonged or violent, seek professional advice. If night terrors are occurring along with other sleeping difficulties, or breathing problems such as snoring, your child might also benefit from an ear, nose and throat assessment.

 
 
 
  • Last updated24-02-2010
  • Last reviewed12-08-2009
  • References

    Davis, K., Parker, K.P., & Montgomery, G.L. (2004). Sleep in infants and young children: Part two: Common sleep problems. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 18, 130-137.

    Kuhn, B.R., & Elliott, A.J. (2003). Treatment efficacy in behavioral pediatric sleep medicine. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 54, 587-597.

    Guilleminault, C., Palombini, L., Pelayo, R., & Chervin, R.D. (2003). Sleepwalking and sleep terrors in prepubertal children: What triggers them? Pediatrics, 111, 17-25.