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Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2939
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 7:09 am: | 
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I may have posted about this before, but I really can't remember.
Anyone have any experience with ongoing, frequent night terrors? We're going in to our third year here. I've done a little research and it seems they are not harmful and will eventually go away on their own. But all this sleep disturbance in a 5-year-old can't be a good thing, can it?
Sometimes I feel like it's this vicious cycle: when he's overtired he has night terrors, but he can't get a good night's sleep when he's having 2 or three episodes a night. It's not every night, and it's never after 10:00 or 11:00. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2307
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 8:24 am: |
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We battled them of and on for a period of two years and even now they crop up every now and again. They are truly horrific. My son would sit up screaming but you couldn't wake him. Then just as quickly would lie back down and go to sleep only to "wake" up again in a few seconds. You would have sworn that someone was killing him. His eyes would be open but he was non-responsive - it was like we weren't even there. Fortunately he didn't walk around or even try to get out of bed. That is the real danger - that they hurt themselves while in this paniced state.
From what I've read they often occur within the first hour or so of sleep so it seems to fit your pattern. Ours were the same. We'd put him to sleep and an hour later we'd hear the screaming and crying, no tears just crying.
Our son's doctor said that there would be no long term effects to these "terrors" and that he'd outgrow them and to some extent he has. But man when you are going through them it is frightening.
I think all you can do is be there to make sure that your child doesn't do anything to harm himself. Oh and buy a set of ear plugs. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 401
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 8:34 am: |
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It's not scientific, but you might try not pulling any covers over him. My daughter had some terrors and a friend with teens said their daughter had the same thing and it stopped when they stopped covering her at night.
Perhaps they get too hot, or perhaps they get tangled and scared.
We seem to be done with "terrors" (at 6 1/2) but still have moans or scattered crys in the night. So, I'm trying to help her have more restful nights.
We trying a series of books of short meditations for children, by Maureen Garth, that I found on Amazon. The one we're reading now is called Moonbeam. I get her all ready for bed and tucked in and ask her to close her eyes and read the meditation as her final goodnight story. It basically sets them up with a mild, pleasant fantasy to perhaps dream about.
The book covers say they are "simple visualizations for parents to help children to awaken creativity, sleep peacefully, develop concentration and quiet fears."
Not sure if its a cure, but she loves it.
The good thing is, they don't remember anything about the night terrors in the morning!
Good luck!
PS. My 5 yo son never has night terrors, but grinds his teeth loud enough that you'd think someone was in his room breaking sticks! |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 963
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 9:57 am: |
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Me,
I have had them with two of my three kids.
I can completely sympathize.
Our oldest's were the scariest since we had never seen them. We take turns when they happen with our little one now.
As a parent you swing from wanting to "help" them out of the fear to becoming so angry and frustrated that you want to scream!
Our absolute worst experience was on an overseas plane trip! Try explaining that scene to the other passengers....
I am in 100% agreement that using only a light sheet seems to be the most effective prevention in our house. (I actually go in after she is asleep and pull the covers back.) BTW: The plane was wicked hot that time.
I also have noticed that there seems to be some correllation to her (their) emotional development. When they are going through a "growth spurt", visiting a strange place, starting back to school etc. the terrors can kick in.
My 11 year old started when she was 4 and just after her 8th birthday they were gone just as suddenly. Funny thing is she still has some real anxieties - I guess she can just talk about them now during the day!
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Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2942
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 10:05 am: |
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pdg and kmk, yes, I have read that being too warm--in particular the feet--can cause them. But I also worry that he's going to freeze to death at night because our house can get pretty chilly. So, maybe I just need to go in and uncover him. I have also read that they eventually grow out of it.
I think my biggest concern is that he's not getting enough "quality" sleep, which is only perpetuating the problem.
kmk, you so hit the nail on the head. Most times I feel bad, but other times I just wish he would stop. My only "quiet time" is after they're in bed, and when he wakes screaming and hysterical, it sets me right on edge! Luckily he doesn't get out of bed, although the other night he did seem to get up and pee in the midst of one! Amazing and odd all at the same time.
Going to contact the pediatrician and see if he can put me in touch with someone who knows about sleep issues. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 965
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 10:16 am: |
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Me,
FWIW...there is not much they can do.
I had the sleep evalution done for my 5 year old because of her apnea. It was living hell.
Even the technician said that all the devices were calibrated for adult (men) and the the readings on pediatric cases had to be interpolated. The result was a very low level of accuracy.
Read everything you can find; talk to whatever specialists you can find. But be warned that you may find - like I did - that most of them shrug and say that he will grow out of it.
We found that quiet time "NOT A NAP", my daughter would say, helps also.
When she is showing signs of getting crazy during the late afternoon - we put her in her room to look at books. It is not punishment it is just some calm time. Sometimes she does just crawl into her bed and get the sleep she needs.
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Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2943
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 10:24 am: |
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Thanks for the info on the sleep evaluation. Like I said, I guess I know I have to wait for him to grow out of it. He's just such a lousy sleeper, with the terrors and being up at the crack of dawn every morning and going like a maniac all day, and I'm concerned that the sleep disturbance caused the the terrors is completely working against us. We are so beyond naps with this kid--it's like pulling teeth. I'm also very familiar with "quiet time." Did it with great success with my oldest. He fell asleep almost every time. The 5-year-old just won't. It's a huge fight and most often it's just not worth it. If he's had a particularly bad spell, I'll force him to take a nap, usually by saying he can't do some thing he really, really want's to do until he rests first. Or, sometimes I can convince him if I take one with him, but that's usually on weekends.
I think I might check out those meditation books Pdg recommended. Sounds like a great idea. |
margotsc
Citizen
Username: Margotsc
Post Number: 66
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 2:30 pm: |
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I'm right there with all of you. My oldest daughter (now 5) had them pretty much ever night for several years. They ended less than a year ago. I didn't know about the no covers idea but it makes sense. In addition to the meditation, you might want to try some kid yoga, either a class or a DVD. The breathing is helpful. Hang in there, I think you will find that they do go away one day. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 954
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 3:17 pm: |
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At what age do they start? My youngest (22 months) has had several bouts that sound like this - & he is very clear that he wants his feet uncovered too. It's like he's awake but not able to wake up at the same time...I've just thought it was a bad dream or realizing he was alone or something combined with teething etc... |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2953
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:20 pm: |
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My kid was just 3 when they started with him. Honestly I don't know what age they say they start. My concern is focused on when they might stop, and it seems like that would be by about 6 or 7.
I'm sure if you do a search you'll find something. I know I did. Even found a book that I borrowed from the library. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2143
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:31 pm: |
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Wait, what I’m reading here is that when you have a kid, for no explainable reason, they will wake up and scream their heads off. And this goes on for 3 years!!!! |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12408
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
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Not only that, Brett, but other unimaginable things happen with kids. The challenges are unfathomably huge, and the rewards are slightly greater.
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Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2955
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:37 pm: |
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Only some kids, Brett. I guess we're just lucky. 
On the flip side you have my oldest who wakes at nothing, even his brother screaming hysterically two feet away! I figure that'll work in his favor when he goes off to college and is trying to sleep in the dorm or frat house!
And so far, the 2-year-old seems to be a decent sleeper as well. |
mrmaplewood
Citizen
Username: Mrmaplewood
Post Number: 295
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:47 pm: |
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The heat idea makes sense to me. When my youngest was 2 or 3 she once had a high fever, about 104. She awoke that night with an hallucination that was scary to me. She reported seeing the wall of the house on fire.
If being overheated can cause hallucinations, surely it can produce night terrors. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 970
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 5:12 pm: |
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Yeah,
My kids' night terrors gave me the heeby-jeebies.
The weirdest thing is when you are trying to hold a shrieking child and she is literally trying to gouge your eyes out...then snap...in a fraction of a second she goes limp, looks up at you and says "Mom, why do you look like that? I am tired let me go to bed."
Within seconds she would be back to a peaceful slumber.
Someone told me that when a child awakes from one of these episodes only to come face to face with a very anxious looking parent it makes the kid scared- again. That's why we play tag team when one hits. For us it could last a solid hour. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 338
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 7:19 pm: |
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I think the worse thing about the night terrors is the name, which makes it seem truly horrible. Our daughter wakes from time to time (same deal, crying, usually within an hour of bed, doesn't recognize us and is aspleep in your arms when you pick her up). From reading the posts, it seems like it's so common, that it's just part of many kids growing up, and is no big deal. I wonder if it was called something less dramatic than "Terrors", if we parents would be less anxious about it, and probably sleep right through them ourselves |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1054
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 9:03 pm: |
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My granddaughter had night terrors until she was about four. She would wake up screaming sometimes five or six times a night. Needless to say, her parents didn't get much rest. They took her to a "sleep specialist," who was useless. Her grandpa and I used to take her to sleep at our house once a week so that her mom and dad could have at least one night's sleep. Awful as it was, the kid would go back to sleep after each shrieking episode, and would wake up happy and cheerful every morning. When she was about four, the night terrors stopped. Kids do outgrow them. |
margotsc
Citizen
Username: Margotsc
Post Number: 67
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 9:16 am: |
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I just thought of one other thing. With many kids, it only makes it worse when you go in trying to "help" by talking to them or trying to soothe them. My daughter would only get MORE agitated when I did that. She would kick and scream and thrash around the bed. I read somewhere that the best thing to do is to watch from the doorway to make sure they don't hurt themselves, and that the terror will pass more quickly. I was never very good at standing there and doing nothing though ... but it might have helped! |
John James Leuchs Jr
Citizen
Username: Clairvoyant
Post Number: 46
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 9:31 am: |
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I only had them for a very short time. My mom told me to just remember that I was asleep and dreaming and to pinch myself so I would wake up. I don't ever remember actually pinching myself but it worked for me. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2984
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 11:11 pm: |
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margot, most times he doesn't stop unless I go to him, although I certainly give him an opportunity to stop on his own. Usually, he's screaming for me. When I go to him, he's still screaming "mommy, I need you" and reaching out blindly for me. I sit with him and talk quietly to him and rub his back. The duration of the episode doesn't ever follow any set pattern, but it's usually less than a minute, and I can talk him back down, and he's sound asleep again.
Luckily for us we don't have middle of the night episodes. It's usually between say 9 and 11, and then he's quiet the rest of the night.
Thank goodness. |
Sues
Citizen
Username: Sues
Post Number: 63
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 7:34 am: |
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We brought our 28 month old daughter home from China last June and she suffers from night terrors. Not that I'm glad you are all having to go through this, but it sure is nice to know that we are not alone. I was so relieved to find this thread and so reassured and clarified by all the posts. Her "terrors" generally are in the first two hours of bedtime. I'm still not sure about the heat, but I'll try anything now. I usually put her music on and place a stuffed animal in her arms which sometimes calms her down a little. But it is so painful to listen to her cry so forcefully. Thanks for all the info and the meditation suggestions. I ordered two of the books already. |
sk8mom
Citizen
Username: Sk8mom
Post Number: 425
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 8:12 am: |
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Me,
I pl'd you about this before. I will do so again because we have had some progress since then.
A night terror occurs when a child does not smoothly transition between the 5 stages of sleep. If they abruptly move towards wakefulness, they are in a state of half-sleep, half-awakefulness and hence the weird behavior. My child would walk around, go sit on the attic stairs, tear down the hall with me behind him making sure he didn't fall down the stairs; one time he stood up on the bed.
I found out it runs in my families. 3 of my nephews (2 of my brother's kids, and my sister's son) all had them. One of my brother's kids would go downstairs and sit at the kitchen table.
I will pl you with the rest. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2989
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 9:31 am: |
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Thanks sk8. I'll look for it. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 344
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 10:13 am: |
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That's interesting about the stages of sleep, because when it does happen with us, it's usually 10ish, and then again at 5 AM, like clock work. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3001
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 9:34 pm: |
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O.K. So here we go again. The second one in about an hour. The first was not long after he went to sleep. I made sure to leave his feet uncovered. Oh well. And he's not calming down on his own. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 461
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 10:46 pm: |
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Maybe try to leave him completely uncovered. He'll grab for the covers if he feels cold and will likely be past the "stages" that cause him the terrors.
(and PL me if you'd like to borrow one of my Meditations for Children books to try) |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 990
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 7:54 am: |
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We had a break-through last night!
An hour after going to sleep my 5 yr old toddled into my room...mind you this is down a hall, around a corner and down some steps in the dark. She seemed to be semi-concious but instead of crying she just got up and came to us. This is a first for her.
Maybe it was that moon causing all the trouble. |
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