An Overview of Night Terrors
An Overview of Night Terrors
Sleep disruption is a parent's most frequent concern during the first years of a child’s life. Half of all children develop a disrupted sleep pattern serious enough to warrant a visit to the pediatrician. During his or her evaluation, the doctor may also be able to exclude other possible disorders that might cause night terrors.
Usually, a complete history and a physical exam are sufficient to diagnose night terrors.
If other disorders are suspected, additional tests may be useful to exclude them:
Parents might take the following precautions at home:
Unfortunately, no adequate treatment exists for night terrors. Management primarily consists of educating family members about the disorder and reassuring them that the episodes are not harmful.
In severe cases in which daily activities (for example, school performance or peer or family relations) are affected, tricyclic antidepressants (such as imipramine) may be used as a temporary treatment.
If it helps to alleviate your child's anxiety - or yours - make an appointment to talk to his doctor.
If your child has night terrors, you can try to interrupt her sleep in order to prevent one. Here is how to do it:
Night Terrors
In this article
- Night Terrors Causes
- Symptoms of Night Terrors
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests for Night Terrors
- Home Remedies for Night Terrors
- Medical Treatment for Night Terrors
- Next Steps & Follow-Up
- Night Terror Prevention
- Outlook for Night Terrors
When to Seek Medical Care
Sleep disruption is a parent's most frequent concern during the first years of a child’s life. Half of all children develop a disrupted sleep pattern serious enough to warrant a visit to the pediatrician. During his or her evaluation, the doctor may also be able to exclude other possible disorders that might cause night terrors.
Exams and Tests for Night Terrors
Usually, a complete history and a physical exam are sufficient to diagnose night terrors.
If other disorders are suspected, additional tests may be useful to exclude them:
- An electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures brain activity, may be performed if a seizure disorder is suspected.
- Polysomnography (a combination of tests used to check for adequate breathing while asleep) may be done if a breathing disorder is suspected.
- CT scans and MRIs are usually not necessary.
Home Remedies for Night Terrors
Parents might take the following precautions at home:
- Make the child’s room safe to try to prevent the child from being injured during an episode.
- Eliminate all sources of sleep disturbance.
- Maintain a consistent bedtime routine and wake-up time.
Medical Treatment for Night Terrors
Unfortunately, no adequate treatment exists for night terrors. Management primarily consists of educating family members about the disorder and reassuring them that the episodes are not harmful.
In severe cases in which daily activities (for example, school performance or peer or family relations) are affected, tricyclic antidepressants (such as imipramine) may be used as a temporary treatment.
Next Steps & Follow-Up
If it helps to alleviate your child's anxiety - or yours - make an appointment to talk to his doctor.
Night Terror Prevention
If your child has night terrors, you can try to interrupt her sleep in order to prevent one. Here is how to do it:
- First, note how many minutes the night terror occurs from your child’s bedtime.
- Then, awaken your child 15 minutes before the expected night terror, and keep her awake and out of bed for five minutes. You may want to take your child to the bathroom to see if she will urinate.
- Continue this routine for a week.
