What Are Nightmares and
Night
Terrors?
Torturing a child, nightmares and terrors disrupt the sleep of the child, making him partly or seemingly awake. These episodes of nightmares can occur at any time of the night, but the terrors are usually seen in the first hour of the sleep.
Causes of Nightmares and
Night
Terrors
The exact cause of the nightmares and terrors is unknown, though it is often seen that the children suffering from excessive tiredness, lack of sleep or irregular sleep, stress or anxiety. Also, a disorder of arousal, that is disturbance during certain phases of sleep, leading to a state of confusion and disorientation in the child instead waking up.
Who's affected by Nightmares and
Night
Terrors?
Nightmares can happen to anyone at any age, whereas night terrors are more commonly seen in the children below the age of ten. Night terrors are usually seen to run in the family.
Symptoms of Nightmares and
Night
Terrors
When having a nightmare, the child wakes up in the middle of the night from a bad or frightening dream. The awareness is fast recovered and they can answer simple questions. These dreams can be then easily recalled by the child, at times remaining etched on his memory forever.
In case of night terrors, the child is seen to thrash around and kicking, making unintelligible noises, seeming upset or afraid and inability to responding to your efforts to wake him. When the child finally wakes up, he’ll be having no recollection of the dream.
Some other symptoms of nightmares and terrors are – recurrent and frightening dreams, a feeling of being threatened by the dream, inerasable memories of the dream and usually occurring in the latter half of the night.
Treatment of Nightmares and
Night
Terrors
These conditions of nightmares and terrors are easily diagnosable and do not require any treatment at all. In case of nightmares, it is only the assurance which is needed by the child from the parents, while also talking through about the anxieties or stress the child has been suffering from. In case of night terrors however, there is nothing that can be done. Waking up the child or talking to him will not work as the child does not remember seeing anything of terror in his dreams.
Instead, simply lie next to the child and try to soothe him, making sure he doesn’t hurt himself while thrashing about. This problem vanishes on its own accord within 6 or 8 months. Ensuring that the child sleeps on his regular time and has ample rest will help in resolving the problem.
If the problem seems to persist and no noticeable lessening of frequency is seen, you can consult your doctor. It is only in extremely rare cases that doctors suggest any medical treatment. In severe cases of night terrors, however, some doctors do recommend using of a tranquiliser like Diazepam.
Prevention of Nightmares and
Night
Terrors
You can try by waking the child up after few hours of his sleep at night before the nightmares or terrors begin and give him love and reassurance. Eliminating any sort of stress that the child is suffering from, either at home, school or playground will help too. Make the child sleep close to you or your room and light a small night lamp where he sleeps. Avoiding the child from watching any sort of violent or scary movies or television too can work wonders.
Advice:
If these nightmares and terrors do not resolve on their own accord and persist, while remaining untreated, this may result in a serious emotional, behavioural and cognitive dysfunction due to disturbed sleep; though the magnitude of these problems depend on the child’s ability to adapt and develop despite the sleep disturbances that he faces.
It is also seen that reciprocal relationship occurs between the sleep disorders and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Thus, sleep in children and adolescents alike, is of utmost importance and should not be taken lightly for the sake of your child’s overall development.
