night terrors(?) - what should we do?

[profdocmum]

My 2.5 year old daughter has recently started waking any time between 11pm and 4am each night screaming her head off. Its really difficult to settle her, usually taking many, many cold minutes before she will let us hold her, or before she can stop screaming long enough to be understood. We have used controlled crying successfully in the past, but this seems like a different sort of upset. We're now having to take it in turns to sleep in her room with her, bringing her milk, stories etc etc. All the stuff we swore we'd never do. She's just started playgroup, but is geting on fine there. Is this just a phase? How tough should we be? Is it night terrors, or just difficult toddler behaviour?

DS had 'night terrors', esp when ill, over-tired or over-excited. If she seems awake, but doesn't really respond to you, and yells the sme thing over and over, it is probably night terrors.

We found, after bitter experience, that any intervention just made it last longer. We just used to sit in his room to make sure he didn't get out of bed and hurt himself, and let it die down. It's hard to do, because they can be so vehement and heart-rending 'No, No NO NOOOOO' etc etc, but honestly, speaking to, or comforting DS just provoked it all for longer.

he could never remember it in the morning.

It is awful
my dd1 had night terrors from dot to very recently.

She is 9 now and they are much less frequent.

The most important thing for us was to accept that she was not suffering and would not remember it afterwards.

I used to get very upset,...and tired.

If you can wake her up just before the episode and then let her go to sleep it can break the pattern.

We found this difficult.
Whenn dd got up, i would put her on the toilet [she nearly always needed to go whilst asleep] then put her in her bed and just wait till it was over.

HTH

I think you're doing the right thing by soothing her - leaving her to settle herself in this situation wouldn't work.

Does it happen every night at the same time? If it does, and you can bear to, try waking her about 15 mins before the terror seem to start - this will 're-set' her sleeping pattern. Just re-read your op - try waking her before you go to bed - you don't need to wake them fully just a gentle shake to rouse them.

It could just be a phase, but I'd seek advice from HV/Doc if it persists. I don't think it sounds like difficult behaviour. Starting playgroup could be the trigger as she's possibly got so much to process from the days events.

HTH's?

x-posted with Horizon!