Night terrors?

[EverythingsRosieBear]

Dd1 has started waking in the evening around 10pm, screaming and crying. She is 3 1/2. She has her eyes open and says mummy but is not responsive to questions. It takes a while of her continuing to cry to sooth her, then she just falls asleep as fast as she woke up. Does this sound like night terrors? What can I do to stop them or help her best. She does not remember in the morning.

[NoWittyName]

This sounds just like night terrors. Thankfully (or not depending which way you look at it) they are much worse for the 'observers' than the person having them.

There is nothing you can really do, and any comforting you give her is actually more for you (if you know what I mean). I used to just repeat in a soothing voice, "You're home and you're safe, you're home and you're safe." Considering dd1 never remembered anything about it in the morning I don't actually know whether it helped 'shorten' the episode or whether it would have run its course in the same amount of time anyway.

If she thrashes around then you may want to just make sure there's nothing around her that she could hurt herself on.

They're absolutely horrific to watch and I was always much more traumatised than dd1 was.

Night terrors are known to be exacerbated by over tiredness so I really try to limit late nights now.

I hope your little one grows out of them soon (my dd1 now 10 and they happen very infrequently compared to their peak when they were most nights).

Big hugs.
xx

[NoWittyName]

How was last night for you?

[EverythingsRosieBear]

She woke once and I just stayed with her cuddling her.
Is she actually having a nightmare or is she just crying iyswim?

[NoWittyName]

Apparently one of the big differences between a nightmare and night terror is that you don't remember nightmares. I don't really know the true mechanisms of it though.

It's always worth having a chat before bed about whether there's anything that may be on her mind though.

Hope tonight goes okay.
x

[QueenBoudicea]

Try taking her to the toilet if you can. I had night terrors as a child and apparently this helped to settle me.

[EverythingsRosieBear]

She has absolutely no recollection of them she just laughs when we talk to her about them as if we are mad to suggest she cries!
Will try toilet. DH tried switching the light on which woke her up and stopped her screaming. She was upset though about being woken up as obviously she had no idea why we were both there waking her up in the middle of the night.

[Candlefire]

DS had this and grew out of it. Agree it is very alarming. Don't try to wake her up from it, just redirect back to bed. It was always worse if unwell or hot with temp. It's not uncommon.