My 5yo DS has always suffered with night terrors, he's had a unstable life so far through no ones fault. (a combo of his Dad being an abusive twunt, his brother having a life limiting illness and my own illness)
This is much better now he has had complete stability for 6 months now (not long I know) but whatever the case he is told daily how much we love him and has alway had consistent boundaries and rules.
Anyway, night terrors have got so bad now he will jump out of bed still kit awake and just run, last night this resulted in him going head first into the door and splitting his head wife open.
He is really hard to wake during these episodes and he will spend about 15 mins just shaking and sobbing whilst looking straight into nothingness, he won't acknowledge anyone bring there or hugging him.
He is 5 1/2 and I'm struggling to know how to deal with this, I know he has a real phobia of the dark and do far we've tried leaving the hallway light on and dimming slowly until it's gone in a bid to get him over the fear but I do wonder if it's worth scrapping that and just getting him a night light.
This wasn't the first time he's hurt himself, in the past he's knocked a chest of draws on himself and fallen feet first into the toilet!
He has a stable bedtime routine and in every other area he is fine, happy at school and seems fairly content.
Any ideas, suggestions?