Night terrors

[ChelleChelle]

My 3 year old has night terrors about 3 times a week.  She also has tantrums during the day about twice a week.  During those times, it's very similar to the night terrors - shaking, seeming in another world, etc.  It seems like she has to get it out of her system and that she doesn't remember much of it afterward.  She's had temper tantrums as well, but these are different - they seem chemical, like she can't control it.  Any ideas on what this could be?  

[mummytothree]

My son, who is now 10, has had night terrors since he was about 2.
For him I have noticed two main triggers - too much sugar during the day or extremely fatigued.
It can be very scary when they have them.  My son wanders around the house and plays out some sort of scenario of his dream.  It usually seems violent & traumatic, as he is always crying and screaming for someone as if they are hurt.  His have lasted as few as a few minutes to half an hour.  
I have been told by our physician not to try waking them, as they often are hard to wake anyways.  We just make sure he is safe and have even installed special locks high up on all our doors to the outside, just in case.  It is my fear that one night he might get out - but he never has.
And of course when he does wake up - whether it just happened, or it's the next morning - he never remembers what happened.  Not even the scenario he was acting out.
I hope our experience helps - your child is defiantely not alone.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

That happens to my kids sometimes too.

These kinds of pediatric sleep disorders are most often ones that go away with time.  Mine don't have them anymore.

If it's persistent, ask your pediatrician for help.

Dr. Enoch Choi, MD
Palo Alto, CA