Night Terrors

Stephanie found a great article on the topic of night terrors. Both Jacob and Isabelle have experienced these before and they were kind of scary experiences for Stephanie and I because we had no clue what was going on. Here are some highlights from the article.

What are night terrors?

A night terror is a sleep disruption that seems similar to a nightmare, but with a far more dramatic presentation....During a night terror, a child might suddenly sit upright in bed and shout out or scream in distress. The child's breathing and heartbeat might be faster, he or she might sweat, thrash around, and act upset and scared. After a few minutes, or sometimes longer, a child simply calms down and returns to sleep.

What causes night terrors?

Night terrors are caused by over-arousal of the central nervous system (CNS) during sleep. This may happen because the CNS (which regulates sleep and waking brain activity) is still maturing....Night terrors have been noted in kids who are:
* overtired or ill, stressed or fatigued
* taking a new medication
* sleeping in a new environment or away from home

What should I do if my child is having a night terror?

The best way to handle a night terror is to wait it out patiently and make sure the child doesn't get hurt by thrashing around. Kids usually will settle down and return to sleep on their own in a few minutes.

How can a parent prevent night terrors?

There's no treatment for sleep terrors, but you can help prevent them. Try to:
* reduce your child's stress
* establish and stick to a bedtime routine that's simple and relaxing
* make sure your child gets enough rest
* prevent your child from becoming overtired by staying up too late

Have you experienced these strange things with your kids? Hopefully this article will help you understand and cope as much as it has helped Stephanie and I.