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Original poster

Night Terrors

14 replies

mummynumnum · 28/05/2008 22:36

At what age do night terrors approx start-how do you recognise one?

OP posts:
CountTo10 · 28/05/2008 22:46

Can be between 2-4 I think. Ds1 suffered with them at about 2ish for a couple of months and it was horrible. He just used to suddenley waking up screaming or thrashing about and nothing we did consoled him. In the end we just used to have to sit with him while he cried it out - sometimes up to 30mins and then he'd calm down and go to sleep. They come on really suddenley and you're supposed to just leave them to it cause waking them can make it worse. his only lasted a couple of months but it can go on for some time. Don't know if that hlps?

Orinoco · 28/05/2008 22:55

Message withdrawn

dizzydixies · 28/05/2008 23:03

oh am so sorry if your dc has them
our dd1 had them and they were awful but you must be reassured that they are more distressing to you than the child who does NOT know what is going on

dd1 used to scream and thrash and fight for varying lengths of time and this was every night for approx 6-9months

now I remember being pg with dd2 and wondering how the hell I was going to cope with it all so she must has been about 2yrs old

we were sent up to the hosp to see a cons who just printed out an information sheet from the BBC health website and sent us home

she said there was nothing to be done but to ride it out and that it didn't reflect anything that we were doing

I had been keeping diary of her sleep patterns/food intake/ acivities etc wondering if it was due to being over tired or eating something specific

they stopped as soon as they started and occassionally she'll shout at someone in her sleep or have a wee lash out but nothing as horrific as they were

just make sure they're comfy and safe i.e can't lash out and hurt themselves and remember they're not aware, only you are

Original poster
mummynumnum · 29/05/2008 19:32

Def sounds like she is having them. She does not like a cuddle or being touched, which is most unlike her, but is shouting mummmy.

OP posts:
dizzydixies · 29/05/2008 20:20

well if she is please don't be uspet by it, she doesn't need anything other than to be in a safe place

Original poster
mummynumnum · 29/05/2008 21:26

I find that lying on bed helps. Went to see S and The City last night and did it to dh and freaked him out a bit. Think he thought she was upset coz not mummy. I have told him about night terrors now!

OP posts:
Dragonbutter · 29/05/2008 21:27

DS1 did it from about 5 months old. They stopped when he was around 1.
DS2 has had a couple from around 9 months.
Really scary, but once you know what it is you can deal with it calmly.

dizzydixies · 29/05/2008 21:43

5 months dragonbutter - thats awful!!

dd2 has been throwing a few wobblies during the night recently and I am desperately hoping its not the start of them again - she only turned 2 last week and dc3 is due in 9wks [meep]

Dragonbutter · 29/05/2008 23:16

It was awful the first time as we were told to be on the lookout for meningitis symptoms after he was born with GroupBStrep so was more succeptible.
The first time he screamed uncontrollably and went really long and rigid, he wasn't responsive to us, my DH handed him to me to see if i could settle him and his eyes rolled back and he went floppy. I absolutely thought he was dying. While I called an ambulance, DH ran to the GP who lived next door but by the time he got there DS1 had made a full recovery.
Of course A&E told me it was colic!!!
With hindsight i now know that the screaming was the night terror and the eye rolling and floppiness was him falling asleep again.
Once a pattern was established ie. missed naps were a trigger and they always happened two hours after he went to bed, the consultant diagnosed 'fusional arousal parasomnia' which is really just a form of night terror.

lots of sympathy to those of you whose LO's are having night terrors.

Sazisi · 29/05/2008 23:39

DD1 had a few when she was 5; they started after a major move, which was what I put them down to.

Orinoco, that's really interesting that you actually found something which helped (think all advice I had was that she'd grow out of them - which she did, but you feel better if you can DO SOMETHING!) I'll have to remember that in case DD2 or 3 suffer them..

Dragonbutter - your poor babies, I found it scary enough with a 5 year old; it must have been awful for you.

Dragonbutter · 29/05/2008 23:50

It was scary but by the time DS2 did it for the first time I was very ok about the whole thing. Just laughed and said, 'oh you as well eh?, that's just brilliant'.

amytheearwaxbanisher · 30/05/2008 00:08

ds definatly had a few at two and a half he was just screaming staring at the wall saying wat that like he could see something we couldnt and didnt seem to recognize dh when he picked him up he was in a mad asleep/awake state i just had to hold him and talk very soothingly to him for about half an hour until he calmed down and nodded off its quite scary for all involved

Original poster
mummynumnum · 30/05/2008 08:28

Did not have one last night-phew!

OP posts:
dizzydixies · 30/05/2008 11:01

dragonbutter am going to try to adopt THAT attitude if it is night terrors again with dd2

remind me of this when am weeping and wailing when dh on nights and I'm trying to feed new baby and deal with dd2!!!

mummynumnum am hoping you're not being lulled into a false sense of security glad you had a terror free night

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