Night Terrors & Nightmares
from Shine Newsletter, Spring 2007
From the boogeyman to monsters in the closet, just getting your child to sleep can be hard enough. But what if sleep doesn’t bring comfort? Barton D. Schmitt, MD, answers your questions about the two most common events that can interrupt your child’s sleep.
Night Terrors
Night terrors occur in two percent of children. They usually begin one to two hours after going to sleep and can last from 10 to 30 minutes. During a night terror, your child may:
- Be agitated and restless but cannot be awakened or comforted.
- Sit up or run helplessly about, possibly screaming or talking wildly.
- Not appear to realize you are there even though his eyes are wide open and staring.
- Mistake objects or persons in the room for dangers.
Night terrors are harmless, and each episode will end on its own in deep sleep. In the morning, your child will not remember what happened.
What is the Cause?
Sleep deprivation is the most common trigger for night terrors. For preschoolers, make sure they take an afternoon nap. Also, avoid late bedtimes because they may trigger a night terror.
How Can I Help My Child?
Help him return to normal sleep. You won’t be able to awaken your child, but you can turn on the lights and make soothing comments such as, “You are all right. You are home in your own bed. You can rest now.”
Protect him from injury. If your child is sleepwalking, try to gently direct him back to bed. Block stairways and other hazardous areas such as windows.
Nightmares
Nightmares are scary dreams that wake your child. Occasional bad dreams are common after the age of three but can occur as early as six months.
What is the Cause?
Nightmares usually relate to developmental challenges. For example:
- Toddlers have nightmares about separation from their parents.
- Preschoolers have nightmares about monsters or the dark.
- School-aged children have nightmares about death or real dangers like dog bites.
How Can I Help My Child?
Reassure and cuddle her. Sit on the bed until your child is calm. Provide a nightlight, especially if she is afraid of the dark. Most children return to sleep fairly quickly.
Talk about the bad dream during the day. Your child may not remember the dream unless you can remind her of something she said when she woke up. If your child has the same bad dream repeatedly, help her imagine a good ending.
Protect her against frightening movies and TV shows. For many children, violent shows or horror movies cause bedtime fears and nightmares. Don’t allow your child to watch these movies until she is 13 years or older. After all, they are created to scare adults.
Call your child’s doctor during office hours if the:
- Nightmares become worse
- Nightmares don’t go away after two weeks
- Nighttime fears lead to daytime problems
