Night terrors in children

If your toddler is experiencing night terrors, it can be concerning. Night terrors in children can be distressing to see. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help.

What are night terrors?

Night terrors happen when children are asleep. They cause children to thrash around, scream or cry. They may also have rapid breathing, be sweating, or appear as though they are awake (eyes open). 

Terrors are thought to be caused by immaturity in the central nervous system, and are also linked to when toddlers have a temperature, feel stressed or are lacking sleep. 

Are night terrors the same as nightmares?

The short answer is no. Nightmares occur during REM sleep- dreaming time. Terrors occur during the first few hours of sleep. Your child is unlikely to remember anything about night terrors, but can wake from nightmare and remember the events of the dream. 

How to handle night terrors

Firstly, make sure that your child's room is safe. Make sure that furniture is fixed to the walls and that cords from blinds are out of the way. Installing a stair gate is also a wise option. 

Try to avoid waking them when they are in the midst of a terror. Naturally you want to help, but waking during a terror can cause further upset. Instead, stay close by. Most terrors will stop within a few minutes. 

You can also try taking your child to the bathroom- emptying the bladder can help calm the problem. 

Preventative steps

Night terrors in toddlers can be prevented if you aim to tackle the possible causes, including needing more sleep, stress, or having a temperature.

Try the following:

• Lower the temperature of the room. Ideally it should be no higher than 21C at night time to prevent overheating.
• Make sure that your child is getting enough sleep- both naps and at bedtime. Toddlers will need between 11-13 hours of sleep per day in total. 
• If your child is potty trained, encourage them to go to the potty last thing before bed.
• Create a calm bedtime routine that always stays the same- most children enjoy a bath, a bedtime story and a cuddle before sleep. 
• If your child might be stressed- perhaps they're starting preschool or feeling unwell- try to address those worries. 
• If your child repeatedly suffers from night terrors, you could try rousing them (not waking them) around half an hour before they usually experience the episode. This can help reset their body clock. 

If your child is continually experiencing night terrors and the above ideas don't help, contact your GP. 

Find out more about how much sleep children need here.