Is my son experiancing night terrors?

Question

Last week our landlord came up to service our furnace. When he was here my 7 year old and 2 year old noticed the fire in the furnace. Since then our 2 year old screams when going to bed. He will work himself up until he vomits. After 45min-1 hr he will fall asleep. Around 2am he wakes up screaming for Mommy & Daddy. When the furnace kicks on his scream becomes bloodcurdding. The only way to calm him is to let him sleep with us. He is not cutting any teeth or sick. Could he really be afraid of the furnace at 2 years old? Any ideas so we can ALL get a good nights sleep?

Just wanted to add a little something to the comment that "I dont think toddlers have brains". He was never afraid of it before. As far as someone not having brains when it comes to children.....EARPLUGS ARE CHOKING HAZARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Honey he is jus two years old. He is afraid. All two year olds are afraid of things they aren't normally around and things that normally aren't seen by them - even furnaces. I would show him the furnace again and let him look at it and have him watch me touch it so he can see that it isn't alive and can't hurt me. I would explain how this is a big machine that can keep us warm. I would talk about fire safety. Most of all though I'd let him tell me what it is exactly that is bugging him and listen very carefully - even if he can't talk well yet, he can show you by pointing and such. Then let him know it's okay to be afraid, but let him know that it is not going to hurt him. I have a child who experianced true night terrors. This sounds more like nightmares. The differences are mild but there are differences.

Answer 2

I think night terrors is something different usually not a conscious child though they look awake. It sounds more like a phobia, and he can definately be having that. This must be terrible for your whole family!! "Systematic desensitization" is the best, which is slowly exposing him to the feared object for extended periods of time. If the landlord would actually let him see the fire more, talk to him about it, try to answer questions. Also, make sure 7 year old isn't telling scary stories about the furnace. Check your library for age appropriate books that might reference the furnace or fires. Some to help kids deal with other night fears may have a furnace monsters included.

Answer 3

I would take him down to the furnace and explain exactly what it does. Stressing the fact that the fire CANT get out no matter what, that it actually is a really good thing because it keeps everyone warm. He's a little small for lengthy explanations, but that's really the only thing I can think of. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

My 2 365 days old daughter has finished this formerly yet in basic terms 2 circumstances. i'm able to get her calmed down nevertheless with the help of choosing her up and rocking her and telling her she is secure and it quite is super.. basically typical mom stuff. Are you specific he's having evening terrors? Do you think of he could be having a tummy soreness? Or something actual hurting him? Is it an analogous time each and every evening? After he wakes up does he provide up crying altogether? Does he pass directly to sleep after that and sleep something of the evening? How long has this been occurring? i think of if it quite is been occurring nightly for no less than a pair weeks, i could a minimum of call the well being care expert and see what she/he has to declare. whether it is undesirable aims, i do no longer understand what they might do approximately those, yet something it feels like at this factor could furnish help to. perhaps if once you positioned him to mattress pray that angels could encompass him and God's love could shelter him. i've got self belief for him and you.. God bless.

Answer 5

It doesn't sound like night terrors........just that the furnance really scares him now. Explain what the furnance is and does and that it's like a camp fire or something like that- to keep you all warm, in his way of understanding. Here is some info about night terrors though.................


PEDIATRIC BASICS-
Night terrors are a common sleep problem among children. By some estimates, about 15% of younger children have occasional night terrors. Although most common in children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, they can occur at almost any age.
Although usually considered to be normal or benign, they are often very scary and distressing to parents who often overreact, especially during a child's first night terror.

SYMPTOMS-
When you hear how most experts describe night terrors, it is easy to see why parents find them distressing. Children who have night terrors are usually described as 'bolting upright' with their eyes wide open, with a look of fear and panic, and letting out a 'blood curdling scream'.
These kids will usually also be sweating, breathing fast and have a rapid heart rate (autonomic signs). And although it will seem like they are awake, during a night terror, children will appear confused, will not be consolable and won't recognize you.
Typical night terrors last about 5 to 30 minutes and afterwards, children usually return to a regular sleep. If you are able to wake your child up during a night terror, he is likely to become scared and agitated, mostly because of your own reaction to the night terror, especially if you were shaking or yelling at him to wake up. Instead of trying to wake up a child having a night terror, it is usually better to just make sure he is safe, comfort him if you can, and help him return to sleep once it is over.

DIAGNOSIS-
The diagnosis of night terrors is usually made by the history of a child 'waking' early in the night screaming and being inconsolable. Night terrors are most often confused with nightmares, but unlike night terrors, a child having a nightmare is usually easily woken up and comforted.
The other worry for many parents is that these episodes are a type of seizure. Although different types of partial seizures, including temporal lobe and frontal lobe epilepsy, can appear similar to night terrors, they are usually brief (30 seconds to a few minutes) and are more common in older children and adults.

TREATMENTS
No treatment is usually necessary for routine night terrors. Since they are often triggered in children who are overtired, sticking to a good bedtime routine and making sure your child is getting enough rest can help to prevent them.
For children who get frequent night terrors, it might help to wake your child up before the time that he usually has a night terror. This is thought to interrupt or alter the sleep cycle and prevent night terrors from occuring (it also works for sleepwalking).

Answer 6

ok this might work maybe.....get a can of glade air freshner and have your little one draw a monster on it (or maybe what he is afraid of) take a red marker and draw a line through the picture almost like a no smoking sign. Tell him when he wakes rom a bad dream to spray his anti monster bad dream spray and it will all go away. Hope it helps it helped my best friends little girl....good luck

Answer 7

Put fire detectors in the home---and have fire extinguishers in places, like in the kitchen (have them secured and out of reach)...reassure him that these things are there to protect him and you in case of fire...and tell him that fire is also a good thing---try to show him the benefits of fire...take him to a firehouse! Have them show him trucks and all the different things that firemen use...have a fireman try to explain things as best they can to him. Hug him and love him each time he has nightmares.

Good luck!!

Answer 8

A girl I worked with has a daughter that was having them. She was told that she may have been too hot while sleeping. They made sure she didn't have a bunch of blankets on and had a cooler nightgown on and that actually helped!

Answer 9

Yeah he is afraid of the furnace. Don't know what to tell you except earplugs. Obviously you don't think 2year old have brains...with your "could he really be afraid of the furnace at 2 years old?" DUH

Answer 10

It is instinct to be afraid of fire. Comfort him before he goes to bed and time will pass until he is okay again.