Night Terrors?

My DS is usually a pretty good sleeper---he'll fuss for a few minutes when I put him to bed, but then he's asleep for the rest of the night. Last night, however, was a different story. He woke up screaming hysterically about 2 hrs after he went to bed. I ran in to check on him because he never does that & I was sure something was wrong. He was sitting up in his crib & kept screaming even after I picked him up. He wound up waking DD too & she started crying. I finally got him calmed down, but it took a while & then when I put him back in his crib, he cried & cried for about 30 minutes---not hysterically screaming crying, but more angry crying (like I said, he's a good sleeper.....as long as I don't get him up....if I get him up for any reason & then try to put him back down, he does not like that at all!).

So I'm wondering if what he had was maybe night terrors? I don't know much about them, but that's the only thing I could think of. He was inconsolable for a few minutes, so I thought that might be it. I don't think it was pain from anything as I'd just given him Motrin 2 hrs earlier. And if it is night terrors, how should I handle this next time? I think I made things worse by going in to get him (I can do that with DD, but not with him)---if he even sees me in his room at night, he'll start crying & won't go to sleep forever seems like...and if I talk to him or pat his back or pick him up, well, it just makes things much worse. But I can't stand the thought of him screaming hysterically like that again.

Just wondered what any of you would do in this situation? Or if you had been in this same boat ever??

 

I have wondered a time or two with both of mine whether or not they had a nightmare. They have done that a couple of times each where they wake up almost hysterical and panicky (if you will). On those occassions I do pick them up. I can't stand not too because to me they seemed scared and like I said panicky and hysterical. I let them calm down and then try laying them back down. If they do start to cry again I usually let them go for 10-15 minutes and go check on them again...without picking them up the 2nd time. I will give them another 10 minutes or so and if they are still crying then I have been known to let them fall asleep in our bed and carry them back to their's later. Not ideal, but it works for us and I only do it if all else fails. I have not noticed that on those rare occassions it has caused any bad habits to form.

 

My DD has had both nightmares and night terrors. The difference is when she has a night terror, she'll be sitting up, eyes open, screaming, but she can't focus on us. She's not really awake when she does this. If she sees me and reaches for me then I know it's a nightmare instead. We were told to absolutely NOT wake her when she has a night terror. To rub her back, sing to her, calm her in other ways but not wake her. She usually calms pretty quickly from these, much quicker than when she has a nightmare. HTH!

 

Thanks, that does help me out! Hopefully, he won't have another one--it freaked me out!

 

We've dealt with night terrors and nightmares here too. I have night terrors so the girls inherited this from me. They have them when they are overtired, so I'm pretty rigid about making sure they get enough sleep. If its a night terror, they aren't awake. We usually try to soothe and comfort without picking them up. Sometimes that isn't possible though. A nightmare on the other hand, results in them waking up (well really just Meara, Ana hasn't had a nightmare that she's woken from.. yet). Meara will cry and cling to us and her little heart is racing. I usually hold her and comfort her and then try to lay her down and lay down on the floor next to her so she can see me.

I don't know if this helps any. I hope you don't have to deal with it again. :hug:

 

:hug: I don't have any advice, but I'm sure that must have been so scary!

 

I had forgotten that nightmares and night terrors are two different things. I do remember my cousin (when we were young) had night terrors and their doctor told them the same thing...Do Not wake her up.

Thanks for the reminder!!

 

My Jack has night terrors. We are advised to do the same. He has one a month or so. I am glad they aren't more often. It usually takes about 15 minutes before he snaps out of it or goes back to sleep.

 

This has happened to both of my LOs on separate occasions and I was so pleased that DH was around as the other baby woke up too crying as the other had disturbed his/her sleep! Both babies in question woke right up so it must have been a nightmare on both occasions.

I ended up having to take the baby out of the bedroom, calming and distracting in a quiet, darkened room. I didnt speak much, but cuddled them and whispered softly "it´s OK" over nad over. I also gave them paracetamol (the equivalent of your motrin) to both babies as a precuation (I hadnt given it at bedtime) and both went back to sleep happily afterwards. I think it was a bad dream as both were inconsolable and didnt want their dummies. It was initially a frightening moment as they really cried a lot & dont normally do that, but our presence was enough to calm them and within 30 mins they were sleeping again.

DS will cry out in his sleep and will sit/stand up. I realise he´s sleeping still and just gently lie him back down and give him his dummy (paci) and he settles immediately. Sometimes he reaches for me but I dont pick him up as his eyes are closed, I just do wha I said above and reassure him and whisper, "it´s OK, mummy´s here". Again he settles quickly.