Night Terrors in Toddlers
Parents - let's talk about something that's not easy: watching your child go through night terrors. We know how tough it can be to see your little one in a state of fear and confusion, feeling utterly helpless. As parents, we always want to protect and comfort our children, but night terrors can leave us feeling overwhelmed and emotionally drained. In this guide, we want to acknowledge the difficulty you're going through and offer support and understanding. You're not alone in this journey, and together we'll find ways to navigate this challenging phase. So, let's dive in and learn about potential causes and practical tips for parents to manage night terrors. Let's dive in!
UNDERSTANDING NIGHT TERRORS (AND THE DIFFERENCES FROM NIGHTMARES)
Night terrors can be confusing for parents who witness their child in a state of fear and agitation. It's important to understand the signs and symptoms to differentiate night terrors from nightmares. Nightmares and night terrors are both sleep disturbances that can occur in children, but they have distinct differences. Understanding these differences can help parents better identify and respond to their child's experiences.
Nightmares
Nightmares are scary dreams that awaken children and make them afraid to go back to sleep. They often happen for no known reason but can be triggered by upsetting experiences or stimuli. Nightmares can be related to developmental stages, with different themes depending on the child's age. For example, toddlers may dream about separation from their parents, preschoolers may have dreams about monsters or the dark and school-aged children may dream about death or real dangers.
Key characteristics of nightmares include:
Fear and awakening: Nightmares cause fear and distress, leading the child to wake up from sleep.
Recall of the dream: Children can usually remember and describe the content of their nightmares, often in vivid detail.
Awareness of surroundings: Once awakened, children are fully aware of their surroundings and can recognize and be comforted by their parents or caregivers.
Emotional impact: Nightmares can leave children feeling anxious, scared, or upset after waking up, affecting their ability to go back to sleep.
Night Terrors
Night terrors, on the other hand, are episodes of partial waking from sleep characterized by intense behaviors such as screaming, kicking, panic, sleepwalking, thrashing or mumbling. They typically occur during deep sleep and can be confusing and alarming for parents to witness. Unlike nightmares, night terrors are considered harmless, and children usually have no memory of the episode in the morning.
Key characteristics of night terrors include:
Partial waking and limited awareness: During a night terror, the child may appear awake with wide-open eyes but is actually in a state of partial sleep and is unaware of their surroundings. They may not recognize or respond to their parents' attempts to comfort them.
Difficulty in awakening or comforting: Despite their distress, children experiencing night terrors cannot be easily awakened or consoled. Attempts to wake or soothe them may prolong the episode.
Duration: Night terrors can last up to 45 minutes, often ending when the child transitions back into deep sleep.
Lack of recall: Most children do not remember the episode of night terror upon waking up in the morning.
Understanding these differences between night terrors and nightmares can help parents respond appropriately to their child's experiences and provide comfort and support during these sleep disturbances.
Remember, if you have concerns about your child's sleep patterns or if the disturbances significantly impact their well-being or daily functioning, consulting a healthcare professional can provide further guidance and reassurance.
UNDERSTANDING NIGHT TERRORS IN TODDLERS
Age & Frequency
Night terrors commonly occur in toddlers, typically between the ages of 2 and 6. During this developmental stage, children experience changes in their sleep patterns and brain development, which can contribute to night terrors. The frequency of night terrors varies among individuals, but they tend to decrease as the child grows older. And as you’ll see later on in the article, they often change forms later on and turn into difficulty sleeping and other sleep disorders in kids, teens, and even adults.
Causes and Triggers
Various factors, including external triggers and environmental influences, can trigger night terrors. Loud noises, sudden awakenings, or disruptions to the sleep routine can contribute to night terrors. Additionally, sleep deprivation and irregular sleep schedules can increase the likelihood of night terrors occurring in toddlers.
Perhaps the most overlooked cause and trigger of night terrors in toddlers is an overstimulated and overactive sympathetic “fight or flight” nervous system. As a child begins to fall asleep and get to sleep, this side of the autonomic nervous system is supposed to wind down and shut down. In contrast, the parasympathetic “rest and digest” side of the nervous system kicks in and takes over to initiate and create healthy sleep patterns.
Many children struggling with conditions such as Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism and ADHD have underlying conditions known as Dysautonomia and Subluxation, which lead to this ongoing neurological imbalance and dysfunction that could be contributing to the higher frequency and severity of night terrors.
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS OF NIGHT TERRORS
Behavioral Indicators
During night terrors, toddlers may exhibit distinctive behaviors, such as screaming, thrashing, or appearing agitated. They may seem inconsolable and unresponsive to comfort from parents or caregivers. Recognizing these behaviors can help differentiate night terrors from other sleep disturbances.
Sleep Patterns and Phases
Sleep happens in several stages. We have dreams — including nightmares — during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage. Night terrors happen during deep non-REM sleep. A night terror is not technically a dream, but more like a sudden reaction of fear that happens during the transition from one sleep stage to another. They usually happen about 2 or 3 hours after a child falls asleep, when sleep moves from the deepest stage of non-REM sleep to lighter REM sleep. Usually this transition is a smooth one. But when the nervous system is in an overstimulated state, a child becomes upset and frightened leading to that fear reaction - a night terror.
Differentiating Night Terrors From Other Sleep Disorders
It is important to distinguish night terrors in toddlers from other parasomnias or sleep disorders in children. Conditions such as sleepwalking or confusional arousals can resemble night terrors, but they have distinct features and require different management approaches.
IMPACT AND CONSEQUENCES
Night terrors can have an impact on both the child and the family. Parents may find it emotionally challenging to witness their child in a state of fear and confusion. What’s more is they can disrupt the sleep of other family members, leading to exhaustion and increased stress within the household. For the child, consequences may include daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating and increased irritability due to disrupted sleep.
Emotional and Psychological Effects
Night terrors can cause short-term distress and confusion for the toddler experiencing them. They may feel scared or anxious even after the episode has ended. Additionally, night terrors can have an emotional toll on parents and caregivers, who may feel helpless or worried about their child’s well-being.
Sleep Disruption and Daytime Consequences
Night terrors can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insufficient rest for both the child and parents. This can result in fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating during the day. Toddlers experiencing frequent night terrors may exhibit changes in behavior and mood, impacting their overall well-being.
Potential Long-Term Implications
While the average pediatrician or medical doctor will still most commonly tell parents that night terrors in toddlers are generally harmless and tend to resolve on their own, they have been associated with an increased risk of other sleep disorders later in childhood. And clinically, in our practice, we see them show up again and again in the early childhood section of the case history for kids struggling with Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and other neurological conditions later on in life.
Understanding and caring for the root cause of night terrors during the formative toddler years may help mitigate potential long-term consequences. Anytime we can address the root cause and neurophysiology of a health challenge early on in a child’s life, we not only improve their quality of life during that season but also help ensure optimal health and neurodevelopment later on.
COPING STRATEGIES (FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY)
Creating A Soothing Sleep Environment
Establishing a calm and comforting bedroom atmosphere can help reduce the occurrence and intensity of night terrors in toddlers. Ensuring the bedroom is dark, quiet, and free from potential disturbances can create a more conducive sleep environment for toddlers.
Implementing A Consistent Bedtime Routine
Having a consistent bedtime routine can signal to the toddler that it is time to sleep and help promote a more regular sleep schedule. This routine may include activities such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or engaging in calming activities to prepare the child for sleep.
For additional help and more natural sleep remedies for kids, please see this article.
Techniques During A Night Terror Episode
When a night terror episode occurs, parents should remain calm and avoid trying to wake the child, as it may prolong the episode. Instead, providing a safe environment and offering reassurance once the episode has ended can help comfort the child without exacerbating the situation.
Addressing Underlying Triggers And Factors
Identifying potential triggers and eliminating them from the child’s sleep environment can reduce the frequency of night terrors. Naturally, this involves minimizing exposure to loud noises, establishing a consistent sleep schedule, and promoting healthy sleep habits and routines.
Additionally, consulting with a trained and ready Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractor to find out if your child’s nervous system is overstressed, subluxated and stuck in sympathetic fight or flight mode is often the crucial missing step for families whose child continues to struggle with night terrors and other sleep challenges despite doing all they can to optimize sleep habits and routines.
Supporting Siblings
Helping siblings understand and cope with night terrors is important to maintain a harmonious family environment. Educating siblings about night terrors, promoting empathy, and providing reassurance can help alleviate their concerns and fears.
Educating Extended Family Members And Caregivers
Sharing information and guidelines about night terrors with grandparents, babysitters, and other caregivers is crucial to ensure consistent strategies are implemented across all individuals involved in the child’s care. This can help create a supportive network and promote a unified approach to managing night terrors in toddlers.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR NIGHT TERRORS
Like any and all conditions, chiropractic care does not seek to treat or cure night terrors in toddlers but instead looks to address their root cause – neurological imbalance and dysfunction.
Improvements in sleep are the first and most common benefit parents report to us when their children are under Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care. This is because the very first goal we have with our care is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve, getting the “rest + digest” system back online. Which in turn also finally begins to slow down and lessen the sustained sympathetic fight or flight mode children struggling with night terrors are most commonly stuck in.
If you’re tired of seeing your child struggling night after night with night terrors and difficulty sleeping, reach out and connect with us right away to schedule an in-depth consultation and examination, which includes the Neurological INSiGHT Scans. These scans will help find out if subluxation and dysautonomia could be the root cause of your child’s challenges all along, and we will sit down and go through a customized Care Plan made specifically for your child.
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