Night Terrors

[colemomma]

I have a 9 year old boy who has been experiencing "night terrors" for about 4 years now.  They are progressively getting worse.  My husband also had these when he was young and even now will have one occassionally.  When my boy starts to have one of these he starts screaming someone's name and will sit straight up in bed with his eyes open like he is fighting something and if you try to restrain him he gets more defensive.  He sobs during these episodes and shakes terribly like he is terrified of something.  It takes us forever to wake him and afterward he never remembers anything.  I know they say not to wake someone when they are having one of these but that's just not possible.  Please help anyone out there who has a child that is experiencing the same thing.  It breaks my heart to watch him go thru this.  He is 1 of 4 children we have.  He also has a twin, but his twin doesn't do this.  A lot of the time he is screaming "Mom" and then talks out about something happening to me.  What do you do?

[April329]

My 10 yr. old daughter is having similar episodes.  Last night was 2nd or 3rd time and it always happens within 20-40 minutes of her falling asleep on the couch.  We can hardly wake her up and when we do she is a challenge to say the least.  She screams and kicks and lashes out and hits and/or kicks her dad and I sometimes. She yells so much that I can't understand what she is saying and she almost sound like she is possessed, that's the best way I can describe it.  She remembers what happenned a little while later when she has calmed down and is very upset that she behaved the way she did.  She asked me if something was wrong with her and I told her I didn't know.  I am trying to find out if night terrors happen in older kids and they happen just after the child falls asleep.  My research hasn't shown this, but it is sure what it sounds like.  Good luck with your son, it's not his fault.  I hope it makes you feel better that you are not alone.    

[rebbecca]

i also had night terrors as a child, and i must say they are one of the scarest things to go through as a child. i would see things, talk in tongue, shake really bad, ect. when i was having these my mom would lye down with me and talk to me, telling me that she was there and that everything would be ok. i dont remember her doing this, but i do remember waking up alot of morning with her in bed with me. my mom told me that it sometimes lasted for hours. now that i am older i have had them about 5 sometimes, still it was scary. i would call his dr and see if he can help with him.
i am sorry ur little boy has to go through something like these, i wish him the best!!!!!!!!