Children may wake up or not sleep well during the night for different reasons. Nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, and sleep talking, for example, are common sleep problems among children. Here are some tips to keep in mind when they happen.
Nightmares
Nightmares are frightening dreams that often occur in the second half of the night when dreams are most intense. Children can start having nightmares as early as 6 months of age. They tend to peak between the ages of 3 and 12. Children may wake up crying or feeling scared and may have trouble getting back to sleep. If your child has a bad dream, the best response is to comfort them.
What can you do
- Get to your child as soon as you can.
- Reassure it that you are there and will not let anything harm it.
- Encourage it to tell you what happened in the dream. Remind them that dreams are not real.
- Let them keep a light on if it makes them feel better.
- Once your child is ready, encourage them to go back to sleep.
- See if there is anything that scares your child, such as shadows. If so, make sure they are gone.
Night terrors
Night terrors are more common in toddlers and preschoolers. They take place in the deepest stages of sleep. The deepest sleep is usually in the early evening, often before the parents go to bed. During a night terror, your child may:
- To cry uncontrollably
- Sweating, shaking or breathing rapidly
- Be frightened, confused or have a glassy gaze
- Scream, kick or stare
- Not recognizing you or realizing you're there
- To try to push you away, especially if you try to hold it
While night terrors can last up to 45 minutes, most are much shorter. Most children go right back to sleep after a night terror because they are not actually awake. Unlike a nightmare, a child will not remember a night terror.
What can you do
- Keep calm. Kids don't know they're having a night terror as they sleep, so there's no effect on the kids, just the parents.
- Make sure your child can't hurt themselves. If they try to get out of bed, gently restrain them.
- Remember, after a short time your child will probably relax and go back to sleep soundly.
- If your child often has night terrors, be sure to tell other people who live with them what they are and what to do.
- If night terrors continue to occur, talk to your child's doctor.
Sleepwalking & sleep talking
Like night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking happen when children are fast asleep. While sleepwalking, children may have a blank stare. They may not respond to others and can be very difficult to wake up. Most sleepwalkers go back to bed on their own and don't remember getting out of bed. Sleepwalking tends to run in families. It can even occur several times in one night in older children and teenagers.
What can you do
- Make sure children don't hurt themselves while sleepwalking. Clear the bedroom of things that could trip or fall on the children.
- Lock the exterior doors so that children cannot leave the house.
- Block the stairs so that children cannot go up or down.
- Do not try to wake children when they are sleepwalking or talking in their sleep. Gently guide them back to bed and they will probably calm down on their own.
Remember
If you have any questions or concerns about your child's sleep habits, don't hesitate to talk to your pediatrician.
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