Nightmares and Night Terrors
1. What is the difference between nightmares and night terrors, and what are some common causes of night terrors? Both are scary dreams for children, and may happen during times of stress, or after stressful events. Nightmares and night terrors are not typically caused by mental illness. Kids with strong imaginations and creativity may be more likely to experience them. The differences between them are: night terrors happen during deep sleep, deep enough that a child may sit up screaming with his or her eyes wide open, the child may sleepwalk. They often are inconsolable, they sometimes don’t respond to questions like “What’s wrong?” and saying, “It is okay” doesn’t really register with them. Another point: children generally do not remember the content of night terrors.
2. If your child commonly suffers from night terrors, what is something that you can do to help reduce/get rid of their night terrors? During the daytime hours, listen to your child supportively if there was a recent emotional or traumatic event; maybe invite your child to draw pictures if it is tough for him or her to talk things out at first. You can also set aside a special stuffed animal that a child can sleep with for comfort. Night terrors usually stop by themselves as the child gets older. An important note about safety is be sure to keep toddler gates on staircases, keep outside doors locked, and don’t use bunk beds.
3. Is there ever a time that you should seek medical advice for a child’s night terrors? You can talk with a child psychologist or therapist to discuss your concerns. If your child receives an injury while sleepwalking, talk with your doctor. If the night terrors or nightmares happen nightly, your doctor may want to do a sleep study on the child.
Here is a nice, straightforward resource on the subject: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/common/common/566.html
