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Night Terrors - Any advice?

5 replies

Lizzzombie · 08/10/2008 08:10

My 21mo has started having what I assume are night terrors/mares. Every night he screams and screams - sometimes blood curdling screams and sometimes he shouts random words out constantly. But when I go into check on him he is completely asleep still and doing it in his sleep.
Last night he was doing this for about 2 and a half hours (between 3-4.30am).
How have other people dealt with this? Should you wake them? Could something be triggering them? Help!!!

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BecauseImAWitch · 08/10/2008 08:12

We had this - used to bring DS2 downstairs, put one of the music channels on (as long as it wasn't heavy metal!) and that would have a magically calming effect.

He was then, after a cuddle, quite happy to go back to bed.

It's weird though, as they're not awake during this!

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Lizzzombie · 08/10/2008 08:15

Its totally freaky to see him lying there or standing up sometimes absolutely screaming like a banshee.

Did your DS2 actually wake up when you took him downstairs? (or was he just dozy?)

I have visions of being roped into a game of bricks or thomas or something at 3am!

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cluckyagain · 08/10/2008 08:15

My sister had this and tried 'almost waking' her ds after 2 hours in bed - apparently it breaks the sleep cycle enough to start them off again and miss out the terrors (although I think he was having them much earlier in the night) It might be worth a shot. Seems odd but could you set your alarm for 1.30 and then 'almost wake' him then and see if it then stops the terror.

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BecauseImAWitch · 08/10/2008 08:24

No - the music just calmed him down. At first we used to offer him milk, but he never wanted it.

He was mesmerised by it somehow!

No idea how it worked, but it was a reliable method and then he stopped having the night terrors. (Sorry, it was at least 10 years ago so can't remember how long they went on for)

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Lizzzombie · 08/10/2008 08:24

Good idea, I will give it a go. Thanks.
Someone also told me recently that childrens sleep cycles are opposite to ours.
eg.
ours = light sleep > heavy sleep
theirs = heavy sleep > light sleep

I would have thought that the nightmares would occur during the heavy sleep period but it seems to always happen with him at the time when he should be having his light sleep.