Night Terror?!

We put our girls down tonight at 7pm as usual. They went right to bed (missed their afternoon nap today).

About 45 minutes later Chloe started SCREAMING, I went up once & tried to get her to go back to bed, when it became apparent that she wasn't going to stop crying (and she woke up her sister) I went & got her out of her crib & was going to bring her downstairs. I don't EVER do this...but she was crying in a different way than I had ever heard her.

She was flailing around & pushing away & bascially freaking out. It was AWFUL. At this point I thought maybe it was her throat or something else was hurting her, so I stripped her PJ's off to see if there was a rash or anything pinching (there wasn't). I tried to give her a bottle and Motrin (didn't work) and take her temp (didn't work either)

She wouldn't let DH or I hold her & was crawling to 'hide' (still while screaming) in between the couch & the coffee table and then again behind her toy bin.
I didn't know what to do & was a few minutes away from calling the pedi, but it had only been about a total of 15-20 minutes at this point. VERY long 15-20 minutes though!

I put on Yo Gabba Gabba at this point to see if she would stop screaming, DH picked her up & tried to rock her again...she FINALLY stopped screaming & fighting us off & relaxed. Then she started acting 'normal' again, babbling about a baba etc. She took her binky, which I couldn't get her to take during the 'episode'.

It was like a light switch had turned off or something. It was awful. Once she calmed down I was thinking of all the things it could be & I thought to myself that it seemed like she didn't even recognize us and was trying to 'hide' which was weird (and so very scary). I googled Night Terrors & BAM...that is exactly what happened to us. Everything I read was just what happened.

UGHHHHH, it was so scary....

She is sound asleep now :lazy: thank goodness

I am still going to call the pedi tomorrow and see what he thinks though...
Thanks for letting me share.

 

oh my - that IS scary!
sorry you experienced that! I've never dealt with that but wanted to send you some hugs!

 

Tamara, it most definately sounds like a night terror. Poor baby and parents. :hug: Tony had them a few times and the first time I apparently made the biggest mistake of trying to console him. ardon: I had no idea what a night terror was or what to do in case of one. The next few times he did it I was more prepared (eventhough emotionally I never will be ready to see my son act that way towards me :cry but it did cut the time down by alot. The first time he did it I did exactly what you did, try to console him and it was a mess. The next time I did bring him downstairs (to not wake his sister) kept the lights dim, and let him go at it where he was safe but I didn't try to console him because they are still sleeping, just have their eyes open. It's hard to see your baby like that, and I hope that Chloe never has another one. :hug:

 

Thanks so much guys :hug:
Liz, that is totally what happened. Next time (fingers crossed their won't be one!) I am going to NOT console her!
I was *hoping* that others would have experience with this, thanks for sharing w/ me :hug:
Does T still have them?
It was just really scary & had me bawling too :cry:

 

Yes, and the timing plus the lack of nap sounds very familiar. Shooshing and gentle patting of the back has worked for us sometimes. At least, it makes me feel like I'm doing something to help. Really, your best bet is to wait it out. Picking them up only induces more panic and prolongs the episode plus you risk dropping them when they're thrashing about. We usually have 2-3 episodes between bedtime and 1AM and then they sleep until morning and have no memory of having been "up". I'm vigilant about maintaining a schedule and protecting naptime because this is one issue for us that is fully preventable with adequate rest.

 

QUOTE(TwinLove @ Mar 19 2009, 03:55 AM) [snapback]1234822[/snapback]
Tamara, it most definately sounds like a night terror. Poor baby and parents. :hug: Tony had them a few times and the first time I apparently made the biggest mistake of trying to console him. ardon: I had no idea what a night terror was or what to do in case of one. The next few times he did it I was more prepared (eventhough emotionally I never will be ready to see my son act that way towards me :cry but it did cut the time down by alot. The first time he did it I did exactly what you did, try to console him and it was a mess.


Yep we learned the same lesson with Tyler. I did the exact same thing and it really prolonged it. He had a much "different" cry too. I picked him up and tried to console him, but he was still asleep. He would not really wake up. It went on and on and I was thinking I am about to go the ER and then I remembered a post about night terrors. I googled it and it described exactly what took place. He was overtired from not having a nap since it was the day of his second birthday party.

I hope you never see one again. But I agree with Liz, better to prepare. :hug:

 

QUOTE(tamaras @ Mar 19 2009, 12:00 AM) [snapback]1234831[/snapback]
Does T still have them?
It was just really scary & had me bawling too :cry:


Oh man did I cry. I totally took it personal and felt like I could not console my own son. :blush: No he doesn't have them anymore. He had them from about 18 to about 23 months? And not every night. I'm not sure why they came or left, nothing changed with what we did but I'm glad it did.


:hug: :hug:

 

QUOTE(debid @ Mar 18 2009, 09:01 PM) [snapback]1234833[/snapback]
Yes, and the timing plus the lack of nap sounds very familiar. Shooshing and gentle patting of the back has worked for us sometimes. At least, it makes me feel like I'm doing something to help. Really, your best bet is to wait it out. Picking them up only induces more panic and prolongs the episode plus you risk dropping them when they're thrashing about. We usually have 2-3 episodes between bedtime and 1AM and then they sleep until morning and have no memory of having been "up". I'm vigilant about maintaining a schedule and protecting naptime because this is one issue for us that is fully preventable with adequate rest.


Debi,
Thank you for sharing as well :hug:
Do both your guys get them? When did they start getting the terrors?

Rachel, you are right, I am going to be more prepared if there is a next time....I hope there isn't, but at least I won't be such a mess and ready to rush to the ER either!

 

Tamara *hugs* So sorry you had to experience this *hugs*

I had no clue that we shouldn't pick them up, it is what we always do when Lucas gets night terrors.

Dianna

 

Tamara, that sounds scary. :hug: I hope everyone got some sleep last night.

 

QUOTE(tamaras @ Mar 18 2009, 11:17 PM) [snapback]1234856[/snapback]
Debi,
Thank you for sharing as well :hug:
Do both your guys get them? When did they start getting the terrors?

Rachel, you are right, I am going to be more prepared if there is a next time....I hope there isn't, but at least I won't be such a mess and ready to rush to the ER either!


Yes, both of mine get them. If neither naps (and rarely will only one fall asleep), it's a fun night at my house! <_< They started when we tried to switch from 2 naps to 1 around 16 months. I gave it up and let them stay on 2 naps (sporadic though they might be) until 21 months when they switched smoothly.

They also talk/giggle in their sleep and Trevor has had a couple of sleepwalking events. It's my understanding that all of these sleep oddities are related. I also learned in my research that there is a good possibility they will outgrow it (though DH still talks in his sleep so that might stick).

 

:hug: Tamara, I don't have experience with night terrors, I just wanted to send some hugs yours and Chloe's way. I hope it never happens again, it sounds so scary! :hug:

 

Tamara, my neice has these. My sister, Becky, said, that she doesn't remember them when she wakes up. Also, her pedi said that these will not affect her. So, that news was comforting to Becky. I hope these don't last long for her :hug:.

 

This happened with Abigail once and it was very scarry we brought her to the living room and the same thing she wanted nothing to do with either of us. we finally just put her down on the carpet and let her crawl behind the sofa. once we put her down it was not to long before she came running out and climbed up onto my lap
its very scarry, sorry that happened to you, your not alone.

 

:hug:

I have no experience with night terrors, but just wanted to send you a hug. I can't imagine how scary that was for all three of you.

 

No experience yet with night terrors - I don't think I ever want to experience one! Sounds scary, but it seems like you tried every option to soothe her so big big hugs out to you :hug: :hug: :hug:

 

My 2yo has them. Actually she had one night before last. It sounds exactly the same as what you experienced. She flails around, kicks, screams - all of that. It lasts about 20 minutes and then she gets really calm and wants to be held. I am hopeful that she will grow out of them soon. It is so stressful for DH and me to see her that way. Of course it also happens when she doesn't get a nap or the one she gets isn't long enough. We try really hard to make sure she gets the sleep she needs during the day so we don't have to deal with this too often.

Good luck to you!
Amy

 

:hug: I've been there and can so empathize. Mine also are more prone to this when they miss naps because they are so overtired. :hug: :hug: :hug: Let us know what the pedi says.

 

Wow that sounds really scary. I have never experienced that, and hope I don't.
:hug: What did your pedi say? Is there anything you can do?

 

That sounds awful and so scary. I hope it doesn't happen with her again. I also didn't know that being overtired could cause something like this. I guess I just thought it depended on the child. Thanks for the info. :hug: Hope you have a quiet night tonight.

 

I am so happy that others can read about this here so that if something like this happens in the future you will know what it might be!
Chloe slept AMAZINGLY last night after we put her back to bed & even slept in till 7:30 :good:
She is in a great mood too
I did leave a message w/ my pedi to call me back tomorrow when he is back in the office just so I can talk to him about it and make him aware.
I feel so much more prepared now that I know what happened...

She did just want hot2trottt4u's little one did w/ trying to hide behind the furniture then coming back out & also what Amy's daughter did too by getting really calm & just wanted to be held :wub:

Nap time is going to be SUPER serious from here on out! I am NOT looking forward to the transition from 1 nap to 2...I think I will wait for awhile longer!

 

Glad Chloe slept well last night.

 

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

That sounds terrible to experience your baby screaming like that I hope you don't have to go through it again. But if you do, you'll know what it is

 

OH, just to further prepare you... when your kids conquer nighttime potty training, that step can make these sleep issues worse for a while. Trevor has a weird way of freaking out when he needs to pee at night. Both often go from bedtime to morning without getting up but on the occasion he can't make it, Trevor will go into what looks to be a confusional arousal (the milder form of night terror -- no trying to run & hide involved). If I can guide him to the toilet, he will keep sobbing right up until his bladder is empty and then he goes back to bed peacefully. It's the weirdest thing but in talking with other parents, I learned that he's not the only kid who does this. I can generally tell by the clock; 45 minutes after bedtime is a regular CA or night terror but if it's been several hours, he likely has to pee. It was quite a mystery figuring that one out and boy did I feel relieved when I did!