Night terrors usually affect children ages 4 to 12. These are not the same as nightmares. A night terror usually awakens a child within a couple of hours after the child falls asleep. They occur during deeper stages of (non-REM) sleep, between dream cycles. It's not a sign of medical illness or psychological problems. The cause is uncertain, but it may be more likely after a day of over-exertion, stress, and exhaustion.
There are many things you may see when your child has a night terror. Your child may:
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Have a look of fear or panic.
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Be sleeping and then suddenly sit up in bed with their eyes wide open.
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Scream or cry out.
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Breathe fast, have a fast heart rate, and be gasping, moaning, mumbling, or thrashing.
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Seem confused, not recognize you, and not be aware of what's happening.
A night terror often lasts only a few minutes to half an hour. Then the child will normally go back to sleep.
Home care
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Have the same bedtime and wake-up time for your child (on both school and non-school days).
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Have a set bedtime routine.
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Don't have your child do any high-energy activities during the hour before bedtime.
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Make the hour before bedtime a quiet time.
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Don't have a TV in your child's bedroom.
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Keep your child's room dark and quiet.
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Use a small night light if your child is afraid of the dark.
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When your child wakes up with a night terror, stay close and try to comfort your child until it passes.
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Don't try to wake up your child.
Care during an episode
During a night terror, there is usually nothing you can do to calm your child. Take safety steps so that your child doesn't hurt themself if agitated. Over time, the reaction will stop and your child will quickly fall back to sleep. The next day your child likely won't recall what happened the night before.
Waking your child up may make them scared and agitated. This is especially true if you are upset, shaking them, yelling, or crying. It's much better to just make sure your child is safe. After your child wakes, comfort them and help them go back to sleep.
Night terrors can happen again, but most children outgrow them as they get older. This isn't a disease, and no medical treatment is needed.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your child's health care provider, or as advised.
Call 911
Call
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Trouble breathing.
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A seizure.
When to call a doctor
Call your child's health care provider right away if your child has:
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Abnormal behavior or confusion that occurs during daytime, waking hours.
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A stiff neck.
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A headache.
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Night terrors that happen more than 1 or 2 times a month.
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A night terror episode that doesn't stop after 45 minutes.
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