Night terrors?

Question

My 18 month old has been waking up at night crying, but it's only for a few seconds and then she's back asleep. She repeats this all night, and usually wakes up about 3:30 am and stays awake for an hour or so. She seems very restless and I wondered if "night terrors" could be to blame. I had them when I was very little, but is 18 months too little for them?

Answer 1

no, u can get them at any age, younger is more likely, ages 1-6 is about the most common. I'm 15, and i started having them when i was 13. no fun, do all u can to help. its also a form of depression so I would look into that. It also goes hand in hand with sleep walking, and talking, so i'd look out for that once she gets older good luck. I'm really sorry that she has this problem. Do all you can to fix it, =/

Answer 2

The link below is a site that briefly explains more into night terrors. And, they "can occur at any age." Although, anything younger than a year...I would highly doubt. The thing is, with your toddler...it depends on the situation. She may wake up at 3:30am for reasons of hunger, or it may be that she is getting use to something that has been recently changed, such as a change in breast feeding, regular feeding, sleeping accomodations...she might even just automatically wake up at that time, and realize that she is in a different place than where she fell asleep in. She might also not be getting enough social and loving interaction. I don't know how you interact with her...so, this might be completely off the mark. But, there are many parents that use the bed as a form of punishment (I will put you in your crib if you are bad!(during awake hours)) or there are some that are just not very physical with their children, such as not holding them on a regular basis or comforting them...even little toddlers like your 18 month old. Some parents are very distant with their children. This is not a critisim of you as a parent! This is just information that I obtained from readings and observation. If they are "night terrors" there really isn't anything that you can do about them except to pray that she grows out of this stage. Do you go in to see if she is ok? I know some don't like to do this because the child may see you and want to then be picked up...and we all need our sleep, too. Do you talk to her from your room and tell her that things are ok and to go back to sleep? In gentle loving tones? That might help. This even helps with my 7 yr. old son...during nightmares that he is having. For some reason he is able to hear my voice...and it changes the scene of the nightmare....although with night terrors...talking doesn't seem to help. Maybe interacting with her and reading a "happy" book with her or talking to her before you put her to bed might help....oh, also! My mother obtained an angel nightlight when I was little. She told me that she would always look over me. Maybe putting something in sight might help her to reorient herself and go back to sleep with happy dreams.

Answer 3

Is she waking up and not noticing your there cause if so then yes its probaly night terrors but you can just sit outside her room and wait till its about over, then go in and confort her.

Answer 4

Sometimes, if there was a tramatic situation for her, but chances that she is getting her molers and they are hurting her while she is sleeping. She may be close to the 2 yr ones. They take a while.

Answer 5

My daughter had them at about that age, but she outgrew them. Most people do. I don't think there's much that can be done about them, just be patient and it will pass.