Nightmare or If your child appears to be frightened and agitated while they're asleep, or even moves their arms and legs violently, they could be experiencing a night terror.
These are quite common among two to six-year-olds, with around one in six experiencing them. And despite seeming quite serious, they are often more distressing for parents; children usually have no memory of them the next day.
Terrors are different to nightmares, which can happen at any age and occur during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase of sleep, which is when we dream. Night terrors, however, usually occur about two hours after falling asleep, during a non-dream phase.
A child can become increasingly restless and then open their eyes, look frightened, flail around and even cry out or scream. They might also seem to be dazed and fail to recognise their parents. Such episodes can take place over a couple of weeks and then disappear as suddenly as they arrived.
The causes of night terrors are not fully understood, but emotional stress, fever and being overtired are thought to be connected. There's also evidence to suggest a genetic link, as night terrors often run in families.
It can be upsetting for parents to witness their child suffering a night terror, but it's usually best to wait until they've woken up before comforting them - children can become disorientated and agitated if woken up prematurely.
There's no specific treatment for night terrors as they're not a sign of any illness. However, some steps can be taken to try to prevent them if they're happening frequently.
Making sure your child has a regular sleep pattern and doesn't get overtired can help, as can sticking to a soothing, calming bedtime routine.
If they still occur regularly, it can sometimes help to wake your child up at around the time it usually starts - it is thought that this interrupts their sleep rhythm and can prevent a terror from happening.
In rare cases, night terrors can continue into adulthood, with different sources claiming that between 1% and 2.2% of adults experience them. In these cases, it is advisable to see a doctor as the risk of injury during a terror is far greater for adults.
In some cases, sleep terrors can occur in adults when their sleep is broken by other problems - such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Symptoms of OSA can include snoring, waking up gasping for air and daytime fatigue. The treatment of it - such as through special apparatus to aid breathing while asleep, weight management or, in extreme cases, surgery - may improve sleep terrors as well.
You should seek medical advice if you have any concerns or need any further information.
Publication date: September 2008
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