Sudden partial awakenings in infants

My daughter Alexa is a little over 7 and a half months old and just went through her second sudden partial awakening tonight.  Her first one was one month ago.  We rushed her to a well respected pediatric hospital in the middle of the night last time.  No one there really knew what it was, they thought possibly a seizure, or night terrors but felt most strongly that it was a reaction to triaminic she was taking for her congestion.  Her pediatrician (called him the next day) also was at a loss as to what had happened. When it happened again tonight I was calmer because I knew she made it through alright the last time, but was also more concerned because though she has a cold again, she is not on any medication and I know whatever happened before is not a fluke.  I have been searching the internet for answers and Ayla's Mom "Sleep disorders in infants under 1?" described Alexa episode exactly.  Thank you HVMA Ph,D.-KDK for your response and giving me a name for what happened to my baby.  Do you or anyone out there have any suggested reading on the disorder.  Why do these awakenings happen?  Are the dangerous in any way to my baby?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Alexa's Mom,

Thanks for your note.

The sudden partial awakenings are normal events in the lives of infants and young children, and they are not dangerous.

A reliable and useful reference is the book Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber from Children's Hospital in Boston. It contains detailed descriptions of sudden partial awakening and how to manage them. It's also a good reference re: other types of childhood sleep problems and issues.