Inconsolable 2 year old

[rebecc99]

We have a two year old boy (26 mos) who is very bright - or at least very verbal (and has memorized most of his books, including 3 year old + books) I say this because I think it may factor into this.  He is also very emotional/sensitive.  he gets frustrated/mad easily sometimes but other times is a happy litte guy.  I work full time and he will get upset when I go to work (usually after a weekend or vacation together) and when he has to go to bed, etc.  Sometimes I think that he's also afraid of the dark.  We were at my parents' house for the passover holiday and he had a blast with my parents and my sister.  When we got back last night - it was very late bythe time he went to bed.  He went down without a problem, but woke up about 45 minutes later screaming and crying.  He would not quit screaming and crying for about an hour - no matter what we did.  The more we talked to him the more he screamed and if we went to touch him he screamed louder.  He is very articulate but was unable/unwilling to say anything in response to any question.  Just screamed.  This has happened at least one time before. Finally, I sat next to him and he finally put his head on my leg and laid down with his piggie (transitional object) and insisted on sleeping there.  He would stop crying for a minute or so, but then seemed to remember something and just start again.  Throughough the night he would start to cry (I eventually put him back in his crib) and was only okay after I told im I was sleeping next to him (I slept on the floor).  Anyway - the episode scared me and I'm wondering if we need to get help from a professional or if this is within the realm of normal 2 year old behavior when they get overtired and have had a lot of change (leaving grandparents, long flight, etc).  
Today he wouldn't say goodbye to me when I went to work.  He and the nanny called me later in the day though and he was happy/chatty.  His father works from home and he sees him throughout the day even when the nanny is there.  We had a second child when our oldest was 17 mos old and while he was upset at first, he now (for the most part) likes his little brother.  Do we need professional help? Any advice for how to get him to stop when he's inconsolable like this?

[momalot]

It is very important that toddlers get plenty of sleep. Naptime is essential I find. I also no that if a toddler becomes overtired he is harder to put to bed and his sleep pattern is very irregular. My son also has an occasional night terror. just lay him back to bed. DON'T WAKE HIM UP!

[TTroop7]

What you describe does sound like a night terror. My three year old daughter has had them for about a year and they are finally settling down to once or twice a week. It is a scary place to be... unable to console your child. Deep breaths. You will get through this.
Tonya

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

No, you needn't seek professional help. This behavior is within the norms for his age. It is not uncommon for young children to experience night terrors, when they are screaming with apparent fright. If such episodes occur, it is best not to wake them (they are not fully awake) and instead quietly comfort them with soothing words or simply remain in their presence until they again resume sleep. It's not clear that your son was expereincing a night terror, but the description indicates he was. Over time such episodes occur less and less frequently.