My first night in Haiti with Micheline, I was awakened at 1 a.m. by very loud screaming. My little four year old lying in bed next to me appeared to be awake and absolutely terrified about something as she thrashed around in the bed very agitated. The problem was, she wasn't awake. She was actually asleep, but in the midst of a night terror.

If you have never experienced a night terror with your child, it can be a very frightening experience. Your child's eyes are usually wide open, she may be sweating and have a racing heart, have a panicked look on her face, and will appear very confused and afraid. No matter how much you try, you can't console your child, because your child is not really awake and doesn't respond to comforting measures.

How do night terrors differ from nightmares?

Nightmares:

• Tend to happen toward morning after a full night's sleep.



SPONSOR

       - Select One -     Main For Birth Parents Adoptive Couples Contact for Info  



• Are part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The child is dreaming.



• The child can be wakened and consoled by the parent.



• The dream can usually be recalled by the child.

Night terrors:

• Happen early in the sleep cycle, usually during the first 4 hours after going to sleep.



• Is part of Non-REM sleep. The child is not dreaming, but is actually in a deep stage of sleep.



• Child cannot be wakened and comforted. Eyes may be open, but the child does not really see you.



• Child almost always cannot recall the experience the next day.

Both nightmares and night terrors tend to occur more often in young children, and both can be precipitated by stress or anxiety. I feel that Micheline's move from the orphanage in Haiti was part of the reason she started having night terrors. She didn't really know me even though I had visited her quite a few times before over an 18 month period. When I asked her in Creole if she was afraid that first day, she silently nodded her head.

She continued to have night terrors on a regular basis for a few months...probably 2 or 3 a week in the beginning, and then they slowly dwindled to maybe only one every two weeks.I don't even remember when they stopped. I only remember realizing one day after she had been home about 5 months, that she wasn't having them anymore.

Although night terrors can be terribly frightening to the parent who is attempting to console an inconsolable child, it is important to remember that the child probably won't remember it the next morning, and that although it may feel like it lasts forever, most night terrors only last from 5 to 20 minutes, upon which they return to normal sleep. Micheline's usually lasted 5-10 minutes after which she would return to a deep sleep.

Children tend to outgrow night terrors, with the ages of 3-8 being most common for having them. In Micheline's case, I felt they ceased when she had adjusted to our home and family and all the changes she had faced in her short life as we adopted her. Should severe terrors persist, doctors may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication, or discuss the possibility of psychotherapy for the child if she has experienced severe trauma.

How can you prevent night terrors? Some suggest to waken the child right before the time that they normally would have a night terror. This apparently interrupts their sleep cycle, functioning as a preventive measure.

Also making attempts to reduce stressors in your child's life and insuring that they get plenty of rest and a nap if necessary can help to reduce the incidence of night terrors.

3 ways to help your child overcome nighttime fears

Wikipedia: Night terror

Fear of the Dark: Music, Monster Sprays and the Family Bed