Night Terrors or Food Allergies

[cdeato]

Hi. My daughter has been waking up at night...usually she gets more upset once I come in the room. She doesn't want to be held or sometimes even touched. She might push me away, but doesn't want me to leave the room. She'll cry and scream. If her daddy comes in the room, she'll say, "No, Daddy, you go away". It will go on for 5 min to 30 min. I'll ask her if she wants some ice water, and it will take her a while until she's able to answer...usually she'll say, "water and juice" and go on screaming. I didn't want to give her juice because of tooth decay, so I would try just water and she would scream more. Once she gets the juice, she let me hold her, sucks it completely down (maybe then takes a sip of water) then is able to settle to sleep. She does have identified food allergies which have caused her nighttime trouble, but this is new in the last month or so. Does it sound like night terrors?

[davydell]

No not to me sorry.

[kg]

My 5 year old son is similar to your daughter.  He will enter a night terror by crying and moaning.  He will be kicking and thrashing about in the bed.  He will answer our questions, just like your daughter, and doesn't want to be touched or held.  He is horrified.  We had him in for a sleep study.  Of course, no terror that night, but restless and shouted out during his sleep.  I am concerned for his safety at night.  He seems to have some breathing difficulty through his nose, often has loose stools, and we think he could be lactose intolerant or have food allergies.  I am trying to identify a trigger.  He went several weeks with no terrors.  We thought they was over, but they reappeared recently.  Yesterday, he scared his teacher by having a terror during naptime.  She thought he was having a seizure.  He responded to her questions also.  Its so strange--are they coherent or not during this?  Its hard to tell...he seems to be out of it and pretty much in a different world, but will answer questions, usually yes or no questions.  I am just as concerned as you are and searching for some better answers.

[MummyG]

It is interesting to me that others think there may be a link with food allergies.
I had not even thought of relating my son's loose stools to his terrors but he has had both all his life (only 3 1/2 years).
A friend suggested he may have allergies when her son starting sleeping better after being diagnosed with a dairy intolerance.