Night Terrors In Children

It’s terrifying to wake up at night to your child’s piercing scream. It’s even more alarming to find them still asleep and unable to remember anything about it the following day.

Night terrors (or sleep terrors) are episodes during sleep where a child seems agitated and uneasy. They often start with sharp screams or crying, sweating and a fast heart rate. Children can seem truly terrified even though they are asleep. However, the event may last only a few minutes, after which point your child will fall back asleep.

Sleep terrors are relatively common. Up to 5% of children experience some form of parasomnia —episodes of sudden behavioral issues at nighttime. Sleep terrors and sleepwalking are the most common kinds of parasomnia episodes.

Maneka Kaul, MD, is a family medicine and sleep medicine expert with Franciscan Physician Network in Munster. She explains what night terrors look like in children and how parents can support kids experiencing night terrors.

Night Terrors Triggers

Night terrors may not happen every night. But they can be connected to things happening in your child’s daily life.

A lack of sleep most commonly triggers sleep terrors in children.

“If your child has not had good sleep over the past few nights, anything that suddenly arouses them can lead to a night terror,” said Dr. Kaul.

Other sleep challenges like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome or even fevers can also trigger sleep terrors. Stress can also play a factor. Finally, doctors have found a strong link between family history and night terrors.

Night Terror Signs, Diagnosis And Treatment

The most common sign your child is experiencing a night terror is screaming that may wake you up.

“You may notice that, as soon as the event is over, your child will have slipped back into sleep as though nothing has happened and that they don’t remember it in the morning,” said Dr. Kaul.

Doctors can diagnose sleep terrors with a health history and exam, often without special testing. If your child’s pediatrician suspects other underlying issues, such as sleep apnea, may contribute to poor sleep, they may recommend that your child participates in a sleep study. During the sleep study, your child’s care team will capture breath, oxygen saturation, muscle activity and other statistics to track their sleep more closely.

Doctors most commonly diagnose night terrors in children between the ages of 4 and 12.

Irregular night terrors often do not require treatment. However, parents can work with the care team to identify and treat underlying causes of night terrors, including sleep apnea, stress and more.

Night Terrors And Other Sleep Issues

Sleep terrors often happen with other parasomnias and sleep issues, including sleepwalking.

“Both night terrors and sleepwalking are nighttime parasomnias. Kids who have one type of event have a higher chance of experiencing the other,” said Dr. Kaul.

Night terrors differ from nightmares. During a nightmare, your child will wake up and be able to describe the nightmare. This awareness allows you to soothe them and help them back to sleep. However, during night terrors, even if your child is talking and moving around, they are still asleep. Often the next morning, they can’t recall what happened.

How Parents Can Support Children With Sleep Terrors

If your child experiences sleep terrors, it’s important to remember not to wake them up while it is happening. And, as scary as it is, know that soothing won’t work since they are still asleep.

“The episode will run its course and likely last only a few minutes,” said Dr. Kaul. “The most important thing you can do is be there for them and make sure they have a safe sleep environment.”

Dr. Kaul also recommends making sure your child won’t fall off their bed or accidentally hurt themselves if they are thrashing during the night terror episode. 

Parents can help reduce the frequency of night terrors in the long term by helping their children develop good sleeping habits. Those habits include sleeping 9-10 hours each night and having a consistent bedtime routine. Parents can also work to find and reduce sources of stress and evaluate other underlying conditions.

“Most of the time, if parents can reduce sleep deprivation or stresses, the intensity of night terrors decreases,” said Dr. Kaul.

Don’t let your child miss out on a good night’s sleep. Franciscan Health offers a variety of options to keep your child sleeping well. Speak with your child’s doctor about whether a pediatric sleep study is right for them.