Could it be bad dreams?

[wifey6]

Hi everyone...my DS is 17 months old & for the last few weeks has been screaming out on/off in the night...normally 2-4 hours after going to bed. When he does this & I go in..he is not often awake. I sooth him & leave him in his bed & he soon settles...sometimes he doesn't need me to sooth him as the cry only lasts a few seconds. I'm not sure if this is bad dreams or something I haven't thought of. Has one had this with their LO or has any tips/ideas on how I can help/deal with this please? Many thanks

My eldest started with night terrors when she was about 18 months, I spoke to the HV about it and she said it was terrors not nightmares. Apparently the difference is that with a night terror they typically happen in the first 3-5 hours after going to bed, and they tend to not really wake up during them.

When DD has them I go in and she can be sat up in bed screaming, she is still asleep though her eyes are open and she can 'see' things from her dream. It freaks me out to be honest. I have to wake her up and give her a cuddle but she tends to go back to sleep quite easily.

Thank you peppa...sorry to hear that your LO has this. Would you recommend HV over a doctor for advice?

I think the HV, if you have a good one, is a good place to start. I'd feel a bit like I was wasting the GPs time because there isn't much you can do I think.

The only advice I got was to ensure she wasn't going to bed overtired (they are more likely to happy in crabby, overtired kids) and if they always happen at say about 9pm, to gently rouse them for some water or something at about 8.40pm to break their sleep cycle and stop one happening. This has never worked for us though because she doesn't always have them at the same time, sometimes 9pm, sometimes 10.30pm.

I've just read the wiki page for night terrors and it describes what she does exactly "Children who have night terrors are usually described as 'bolting upright' with their eyes wide open, and a look of fear and panic. They will often scream. Further, they will usually sweat, breathe fast and have a rapid heart rate (autonomic signs). Although it seems like children are awake during a night terror, they will appear confused, be inconsolable, and will not always recognize others"
Is that like yours at all?

Yes it does When I mentioned this to the doctor (as he did this a few months ago...stopped then re-started) she said it could be a sleep pattern he had developed as he would expect to come in to my bed. But he doesn't come in to our bed when it happens...unless he is poorly or teething.
Thank you so much for you advice. I'll book in with the HV before Christmas or give them a call.

The saving grace is that my DD has no idea that she has terrors, she has no recollection of them in the morning, which I am very grateful for.

I find them very upsetting because she has her eyes open but isn't really 'there' iyswim, she is still in the terror. I find it very spooky, especially if she is pointing at things and talking and screaming and there isn't really anything there.

Aaah poor little poppet. my DS just sits bolt up right & is crying...not awake. He is only 17 months old. I've just read more about it on-line & how to help with them. Worth a try!