Toddler screaming in the night

[DisneyGirl2387]

My DS is 16 months old and has never been a good sleeper but recently it has been awful. He wakes in the night anywhere between 1 and 3 times and he always cries mixed with what can only be described as screaming. He is so upset and it is just awful. Tonight my DH videoed him as he are just at a loss with what to do and need advice. We kind of have to 'snap' him out of his screaming fit by putting his lamp on, trying to get him to have some water out of his beaker, sing quietly to him etc. Then once he has calmed down he puts his dummy in and zonks out. These episodes can last anywhere between 10 minutes to over an hour. Some nights he then won't go back to sleep for hours. My Mum has only recently believed me as she has witnessed these screaming episodes herself when we went away for the weekend. We don't think he is in any pain when he has these episodes but he is inconsolable. Could it be night terrors? Tummy ache? Teething? Any thoughts? I'm not joking when I say this has been going on for about 3 months now. If it is a phase it seems a very long one! Any thoughts, advice, wisdom is greatly received as it is all so upsetting and I am SHATTERED! He is the happiest chattiest little thing in the day. We have had one screaming episode already and I'm starting to dread the nights.

Any ideas would be greatly received. It was x3 wake ups in the night. I'm off to work today (teacher) and feel like I'm too tired to do anything well!

Sound like night terrors. They aren't awake and don't remember them in the morning, if it is terrors they are developmental and will stop but it is very hard.
I found by waking them before the terror worked but sometimes it woke them up too much

What time does it usually happen? Night terrors are always early wakes 9-12 in the first stage of sleep..

They are normally around 9/10pm and then anywhere from 1 to 3am. I'm at such a loss!

We had similar, it passes but yeah think it’s night terrors. DD would wake up screaming and look terrified, it was awful.

Night terrors. Nothing much you can do other than wait for it to pass, they are generally unconsolable, all normal though. My 6 year old has only just stopped with them.

Likewise 5 year old not stopped yet and had them since 3 ish. Awful…

Night terrors. My DD had them when she was little. It was awful.

Just to be on the safe side get his ears checked by a GP to make sure he doesn’t have an ear infection.

Night terrors are more likely to happen when they are over tired or ill.

Do you leave a night light on all night? My DD became scared of the dark around that age too.

Something that can be done to try to break the pattern of them is waking up the child 15-30mins before the night terror typically occurs, and keep them awake for a few minutes. Maybe a nappy change and sip of water? Back to bed after that. Do it for about a week and it might stop them.
www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/night-terrors

Also, if either you or DS’s dad had sleepwalking or sleeptalking issues or similar as a child then night terrors are more likely to occur.

Thanks for all of your replies. It sounds like it is night terrors then. Good idea about the ears though! Also what you said about parent sleep issues resonated with me as DH suffers from sleep paralysis episodes (which are awful) and they are much worse when he is over tired too!

Night terrors are so freaky! I remember babysitting for a little one who had them. They grow out of them eventually, just exhausting and horrifying while they last!