Is it night terrors? Should I call a doctor? How do I sooth him?

Question

My son is waking up 2-5 times a week, usually during naps but sometimes at night with a terrified cry. I can't seem to sooth him and he usually still has his eyes closed. I try to wake him and sing to him and have tried making him laugh but tears just keep falling for as long as 10 mins! He NEVER cries during the day! It's breaking my heart, I dont let him watch scary movies and I dont watch any disturbing television when he is awake. It just started about a month ago, he just turned 16months! HELP PLEASE!

Why can't you wake them up?? MEDICAL REASON?

Answer 1

At about 14 months my daughter did the same thing...screaming in absolute terror, most often with her eyes closed and still sound asleep. Pediatrician said it was night terrors and there is really no explanation for them. All you can do is try to soothe him until he wakes up on his own. If there is no chance he has been abused or scared by anyone it should resolve itself in a few months.
PS: Keep up the censorship of any and all television programs...you will be doing him a huge favor! And you will reap the benefits in his behavior as he grows up...;-) Just hang in there...this too shall pass!

Answer 2

Some sources say an age appropriate dose of benedryl before sleep can help prevent night terrors. I do know how scary this is - my son had them.
The natural reaction is to try to wake him but you really shouldn't. Just try to soothe him. Rock and sing, Run the vacuum, talk to him, anything. But if you are frantic, he will pick up on it and it will take longer to finish.
Children usually grow out of night terrors. Many times it only lasts a few weeks.
Good luck.

Answer 3

It could be. Figure out about what time it usually happens, and try waking him up about 45 mins beforehand. Ask him a simple question, like if he wants some juice, his teddy bear, etc. Somehow this interrupts the process of night terrors. It may help to know that most kids don't remember what happened after they wake up, and eventually grow out of it :o) Also, I don't think it has to do with scary movies or TV, because night terrors involve something real that the child is afraid of, like spiders or snakes. It's not something you can prevent.

Check out the sleep disorder discussion board on WebMD. This topic comes up a lot over there.

Answer 4

Mine went through that for about 6 months, the doctor thought it might be she was missing her Dad who was on a Med cruise with the Marines at the time. I got him to tape bedtime stories, he has a more soothing voice than I do. She would listen to one or two a night and then go to sleep with no terrifying screams.. I also kept a low nightlight in the room. So she had some sort of orientation if she did wake up. I dunno why people think its so wrong for anyone to have a light on when they go to sleep but if that is what she or your son needs make it so!
Good luck I know what your going through!!

Answer 5

Definitally talk to a doctor to make sure that they are night terrors. My little brother had night terrors and it was similar to what you described. He would cry and yell and move around sometimes with his eyes open. But sometimes he would stay in bed crying. It usually occurs in children older than that, but my brother was older than it usually happens in. Usually with night terrors it is hard to wake them up.

"A typical night terror episode usually begins approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. The child sits up in bed and screams, appearing awake but is confused, disoriented, and unresponsive to stimuli. Although the child seems to be awake, the child does not seem to be aware of the parents' presence and usually does not talk. The child may thrash around in bed and does not respond to comforting by the parents.

Most episodes last only a few minutes, but they may last up to 30 minutes before the child relaxes and returns to normal sleep."

Answer 6

by all means i am not trying to convert you or make you a believer but at least i gave it a shot. I consider myself to be a 6 in the Catholic meter 10 being the highest, but non the less I'm a big believer. If you have not gone to the doctor do that to see that there is nothing wrong with your baby, try this.... i wear a scapular around my neck when i go to sleep. i believe this gives me rest during the night. give it a try if you want, have your babies room blessed.

Of coarse dint put it in his neck place it on his ankle or this wrist or even on his crib. it might work
hope you find whats making his wake up like this.

Answer 7

This sounds exactly like my daughter and my pediatrician told me it was night terrors. Nothing I could do would ease her crying, it was like I wasn't really there. Sometimes her eyes were open but I could tell she wasn't seeing me. She even sometimes scream "take me to my bed" (even though she was lying in it) and my doctor told me to pick her up and walk thru the house and return her to her bed. It stopped after about six-nine months but was infrequent after that. There is absolutely nothing you can do but do wants asked if anything and say soothing things until they lie back down. (And they don't remember anything in the morning). Good luck and God Bless.

Answer 8

my daughter had night terrors at about the same age. don't worry he'll outgrow it. go into his bedroom, but don't pick him up. rub his back or tummy and make soothing sounds til he settles down. he won't remember what happened. picking them up makes it worse somehow. no one knows why it happens, but it doesn't last long. I know it's hard for you, but it isn't for him.

Answer 9

try playing those nature c.d. before bed time it might help him
relax

Answer 10

sleep apnea maybe??????