A child who screams, yells, cries in his sleep or when waking up, can be very frightening. As parents, you may think that he just had a bad dream, but between night terror and nightmare, how can you tell the difference?
SUMMARY :
- Night terrors: those unwanted visitors of the night
- What to do in case of night terrors in a baby?
- Nightmares: When Baby's Imagination Plays Tricks on Him
- Prevent Nightmares for a Peaceful Sleep
- Night Terrors vs. Nightmares: A Chart for You Parents
Night terrors: those unwanted visitors of the night
Night terrors often start around 18 months, sometimes a little earlier, rarely after 5 years, and disappear before adolescence. From the large family of parasomnias such as sleepwalking, they are harmless for those who experience them .
How to recognize this common sleep disorder in children?
A child experiencing a night terror will find himself in bed sweating , his heart rate will increase , he may speak incoherently , scream , cry , yell , become agitated , be aggressive , get up , make sudden movements and, throughout this episode, keep his eyes open before going back to bed as if nothing had happened.
A child who experiences a night terror without waking up is not aware of the presence of his parents around him. Awoken by the crisis, he may feel anxious and disoriented before falling back asleep.
In their typical form, night terrors only last a few minutes , which will leave the child with no memory the next day. However, if their duration increases, if they are more regular or more violent, do not hesitate to seek medical advice.
Note that night terrors can occur - more rarely - in adults, with the same symptoms. If the attacks are frequent or severe, it is recommended to consult a neurologist or a clinic specializing in the management of sleep disorders.
Sometimes mysterious causes behind these frightening episodes
Night terrors can reveal real anxiety (change of school, moving, change within the family, etc.), but they are most often caused by excessive fatigue .
Because nap time during the day is reduced (at the end of nursery school or when starting first grade), because your child is sick or feverish... at bedtime, he falls directly into a deep sleep, which is conducive to their onset .
Did you experience night terrors as a child? If so, it is very possible that your child will experience them at some point too. In fact, just like sleepwalking, as a deep slow-wave sleep disorder, night terrors are hereditary.
When do night terrors occur?
You will recognize baby night terrors because they always occur early in the night , at the end of the first sleep cycle, usually before midnight and often within two hours of falling asleep .
What to do in case of night terrors in a baby?
Although night terrors usually leave no trace, these episodes of high anxiety are tiring for the body and disrupt the proper recovery that little ones need.
To try to soothe them and reduce their frequency, review your baby's sleep rhythm so that he goes to bed earlier and less tired. Also, reduce stimulations in the last part of the day and reinvent or introduce a soothing bedtime ritual with lullabies , a story , a massage , etc.
- If he is sleeping, even if he is very agitated, do not wake him .
- Stay with him while the crisis lasts, but do not hold him in your arms , as contact could prolong it.
- Speak to him softly to calm him down.
- If he wakes up, reassure him that it was nothing serious.
- The next day, because your child will not remember anything, avoid mentioning his night terror so as not to risk creating bedtime anxiety.
Nightmares: When Baby's Imagination Plays Tricks on Him
Although babies begin to dream earlier , the first signs of nightmares rarely appear before 18 to 24 months and rather in the second part of the night , during the REM sleep phases.
So, when he has nightmares, your child screams , calls you because he is afraid , even once he is awake. This is also what mainly differentiates night terrors from nightmares : your child's state of consciousness .
Triggers: From the lost teddy bear to the monster hidden under the bed
At night, your child relives his day and the stress that sometimes goes with it. Too much stimulation (a program not suitable for television, a noisy place, a crowd, a discussion, etc.), a recent change at home , at daycare , in class , a missing comfort blanket , an event at the childminder's or at school , a reaction from his teacher or a classmate , etc. can be significant.
Also, because older children tell their dreams, we know that the most distressing ones are about evil creatures or animals hiding in the closet and under the bed, endless chases, abandonment or kidnapping, loneliness or natural disasters.
Your child's nightmares should not worry you, they are the physiological expression of psychological stress. However, if they become too intense or too regular, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor.
Prevent Nightmares for a Peaceful Sleep
Young children cannot yet consciously remember their day. Thus, only certain highlights, the most emotional ones, come back to them, sometimes magnified and transformed into frightening dreams.
Behind each monster is therefore a very real situation, a fear or a worry experienced during the day. To counter or alleviate this phenomenon, you can accompany baby.
- Magical rituals like sharing the best moments of the day, cuddling, singing a song, lullabies, playing familiar background noise, turning on a night light, leaving the bedroom door ajar, installing a baby monitor to create a direct link… help your child have sweeter nights.
- A reassuring environment with a room without dark corners or objects likely to deform under the influence of imagination (a coat rack, a giant stuffed animal, etc.), where it is not too hot, a calm atmosphere and soft colors, is also likely to soothe baby .
- Natural discussions to explain the concept of nightmares, dismantle fears and reassure your child without minimizing their fear.
- Sleep delays should be as rare as possible during baby's first years.
- You can leave his training cup filled with fresh water on your child's bedside table. Drinking always feels good after a big emotion.
- Monster stories at night , violent movies and video games (even if your child doesn't watch them directly) and of course, Halloween movies can also be avoided for a while!
Night Terrors vs. Nightmares: A Chart for You Parents
| Characteristic | Night terrors | Nightmares |
| Apparition in the night | In the first part, in deep sleep phase | In the second part, in the paradoxical sleep phase (REM) |
| Trigger age | From 18 months to 5 years | All ages, common between 2 and 6 years old |
| Frequency | Can be regular, at the same time | Irregular |
| State of consciousness of the child | Does not realize the presence of his parents, sometimes with his eyes open | Awake, conscious, searching for his parents |
| Memory of the episode | None the next day | Clear, which can be told |
| Impact | Usually none | May affect mood, fatigue |
| Duration | Usually a few minutes | Variable, can extend over night |
| Behavior | Agitation, screaming, sweating, aggression, may appear terrified | Can cry, call parents |
| Triggering factors | Fatigue, fever, stress, changes in routine | Stress, anxiety, events of the day |
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