Need Help Please!

[karbear]

My 6 year old son started having night terrors about 3 weeks ago, at first we thought it was from all the video games he had been playing so we took them away and the terrors continued.  He has anywhere from 1 to 3 a night lasting about 10-20 mins during which his eyes are open but he does not appear to be able to focus on anything.  He shakes like a leaf, his heart is just pounding out of his chest, and he alternates between crying and screaming.  These terrors start after he has been asleep any where from 60-90 mins, every night.  He does not remember any thing about the terrors when I finally wake him up or in the morning.  I'm scared and don't know what to do for him.   Please help!

[Cmac]

Hi Karbear:

There are many things you can do.
First please understand that this is nothing that you have done and this is nothing that your son can control. Please do not get upset and yell at him or hit him for these episodes. I understand that you will become sleep deprived.

Next please do not take your son to a doctor that will prescribe medication, this is a very bad idea.  Many children grow out of this after puberty, I know what you are thinking; that long? Maybe you can lessen them.

OK so now for the meat:
Purchase a fan and place it right on him to cool his body heat.  Sometimes heat will cause NT's.
Do not touch your sleeping child
In some cases it is best not to touch your child while he is having an NT. In your sons immediate world, if you hold him, it may feel like he is being bound or confined.
Start now by saying his name in a caring but stern voice during these episodes, say only his name, eventually he will awake from his dream when he hears your voice.

Place a light in his room.

In some cases children tend to have NT's when they need to use the restroom. Some parents have had success by waking the child about an hour or so after they fall asleep and get them up to use the restroom.

It is best not to talk about this in the morning with your son unless he brings it up to you. One trigger is stress and this may cause undue stress if he feels that he is doing something wrong.

Another trigger is being overly tired. An afternoon nap may help. Also before bed a soothing bath or a quieting story may help too.

This is enough to get started with.

Good luck

[jcoe]

Your situation sounds very similar to my 4 year old son.  It generally starts about 60- 90 minutes after he goes to bed also.   We hear him sit up in his bed and start to cry/scream.  One of us will go in and get him and bring him out to the family room.  He shakes uncontrollably and his heart is beating a mile a minute.  The scariest thing is that he screams my name while I am holding him.  He is sitting in my lap, looking at me, but he can't see me.  We try to comfort and reassure him, but it doesn't get us anywhere.  He seems to get more agitated. The only thing that works for us is to take him outside on the deck and let him wake up a little bit.  Once the cold air hits him and he is a little more awake, he seems to calm down.  We have also found that he usually has to go to the bathroom, so we take him there and make him go.  After using the bathroom he goes right back to sleep.

He has been having an NT every other night for the past week.  I wish I could figure out the "trigger".  We have a very structured bed time routine.......he doesn't seem to be under any undue stress........he does go to preschool....sometimes he naps/sometimes he doesn't.......he has had an NT on both occassions....naps/no nap.

[Cmac]

I truly hate to hear of children having NT's so early in life. I think the parents and other siblings suffer much more than the child.
In my household there were 5 getting no sleep because of me.

Please look at the recommendation I mention above. This worked for me, I only wish I had found these things out while I was younger.

It sounds like your child will benefit from a fan first and foremost. An overhead fan generally does not work and can through shadows that can actually cause NT's. Also the whooshing sound is much like a sound one might hear before a NT.

My biggest triggers are heat and someone touching me. You can say my name and I'll wake right up but please do not touch me.

Good luck.

[Marka]

Hi All and Hi Karbear,

Our son Oliver is also 6 years old but has been suffering from NT's since he was 2 years old, if you would like to speak in private I am happy to do this to share our experiences, initial fears, frustrations, anger and acceptance and management. Its a long e-mail / conversation to help you understand what we have been through and currently still experience.

Please feel free to email me at mark.atkinson@morpheus-group.com

Regards

Mark

[Cmac]

Hi Mark:

Thank you for your response.

There are many parents out there that may benefit from your experiences.

Especially, actions you have taken that have helped and those that have failed.

Maybe if you have the time you might list some items?

It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Rileigh]

its natural if your kid does this its night terrors and since he dont remember its good so just remember its just night terrors