How to Manage a Child's Night Terrors

A restful night̵7;s sleep is essential to a productive day for both you and your child. When your little one frequently awakens in the middle of the night, the time spent comforting him can make for a rough morning. If your child experiences night terrors, there are some steps you can take to limit the number of occurrences to help both you and your child sleep peacefully.

Instructions

    • 1

      Recognize the difference between a nightmare and a night terror. Night terrors usually occur within two to three hours of going to sleep as your child transitions between non-REM (rapid eye movement) and REM sleep, while nightmares typically happen during REM sleep. During a night terror, your little one might have her eyes open, but she won't respond, talk, look at or acknowledge your presence in the room because she is not truly awake, according to KidsHealth.org. She is likely not to remember the night terror in the morning. When your child has a nightmare, on the other hand, she would likely be able to describe the dream -- or at least the fear -- in detail.

    • 2

      Avoid trying to wake or comfort your child during a night terror. Stay in the room and intervene only if he is in danger of hurting himself by knocking into a headboard, walking down stairs or falling off the bed, suggests BabyCenter.com.

    • 3

      Remove toys from the floor, place locks on all windows and use a gate to block off the stairs to protect your child if she gets up and moves around the house during a night terror.

    • 4

      Try to reduce your child's stress, put him to bed early enough in the evening for a good night̵7;s sleep, establish a calming bedtime routine and avoid caffeine in his diet to reduce the chance of a night terror, suggests pediatrician and author William Sears in "Parenting" magazine.

    • 5

      Keep a record of the time the night terrors typically occur. While there is no reliable medical treatment for night terrors, WebMD.com recommends that you try to wake your child 15 minutes prior to the time a night terror typically occurs to take a bathroom break and keep her awake for about five minutes.

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