Does anyone have any experience with night terrors?

[Giddypants]

Brief history DS 5 years old has cerebral palsy he can't communicate effectively so can't tell us exactly what is going on.

He has never been a good sleeper he will go to bed and sleep with no argument in fact he quite likes it. But About 2-3 hours of being asleep he wakes up crying inconsolabley, he does have some melatonin but this rarely works.
It's awful to watch as while he is crying he also jerks its like the jerking you do when you are just falling to sleep, but he does it repeatably.
I think they are called myoclonic?
Anyway after about 30-45 minutes of him crying he will normally wake up enough to be put back to bed and he'll go back to sleep, a lot of the time he'll wake up again but doesn't usually cry, just huffs to be repositioned and is happy to sleep again.
This isn't a new thing so although he has gone into his own room lately it's not made it worse or better.
A few years ago his paed gave him phenargran (sp) which didn't touch him! Do we need to be looking at some kind of sleeping tablet on a night?
Are there any suggestions?
Also posted in special needs children

I would ask his paediatrician for advice.

There are other medicines they can give..for example muscle relaxants.

Also he should grow out of night terrors..my DD mostly has at nearly 7.

Sympathies.

Thanks fanjo, I'm really hoping he does its awful to watch. I'll get back onto the paed, but he is rather useless x

It is hard to watch. .the reassuring thing is they are totally unaware of it afterwards so its much harder on you than them :)

Just to reassure you I get night terrors sometimes as an adult. While they are scary at the time I really don't remember them. I'm not really awake while they happen. I only know its been frightening if something wakes me while its going on.

So it's much worse for you watching than it is for your child. .

Do you have anyway of checking that these are indeed night terrors and nothing else? Only asking because I thought the crying, screaming and thrashing by my then 17monthold ds were night terrors. Shortly before his 4th birthday the doctors and I realised it was in fact stomach pains. He's on an elimination diet and we haven't had them since.

Although I realise this may be a rare case.

DS had them as a toddler. I sought advice from our HV who said to just stand in the corner and watch in case he hurt himself, don't speak, don't touch and don't interfere, and never put lights on. He would slowly calm down and eventually get himself back into bed, or very occasionally, I would guide him gently by the arms. Once he was down, I would cover him over. He got over it pretty quickly, just a few months, I think. He never needed additional help with meds or anything like that, although I do often wonder if it was anything to do with his juvenile arthritis.
It is really hard to watch, but the calmer you force yourself to be the easier it gets. And I think, even though they're asleep, any outside influences such as your voice or physical interactions can impact their situation/experience and prolong the agony.

My 7 year old does this and we've only recently figured out he needs the toilet. We just carry him through (or in my case drag him out his mid sleeper) and encourage him to pee. Sometimes he is waving his arms about and making a horrible sort of roaring noise. He can lash out too. He settles as soon as he does the toilet. Usually only happens after BBs now as he drinks loads of water there.

These are really interesting, blissfully, I get what your saying, on previous nights we have got him out of bed put lights on/tv on to try to wake him up. But last night I just got him out of bed and put him on the mattress on the floor (dh is in his room for reassurance) and he came round more quickly. Tonight I'll leave him to it. I suppose he's going to cry no matter what I do, it will just be hard as I've never let him CIO or get overly distressed without trying to comfort him .

Yes..it is better to leave them as they will interpret any attempts to comfort as an attack, in their state of terror, and will get worse