Nightmares, Night Terrors and Nighttime Fears
Night terrors
During a night terror, your child will wake suddenly and may scream or cry. Her eyes will be open, but she won’t actually be seeing. She may hyperventilate, thrash around or talk incoherently. She may be sweating and flushed. She may seem scared, but your child is not really frightened, not awake, and not dreaming. She’s asleep and in a zone between sleep cycles. A child having a night terror is unaware of what’s happening, and won’t remember the episode in the morning.
During a night terror you may try to hold your child, but often this will result in her pushing you away or fighting you off. The best response is a gentle pat, along with comforting words or Shhh Shhh sounds. If your child gets out of bed, lead her back. If she’s sitting up, guide her to lie back down. Keep an eye on her until she settles back to sleep.
