What is the difference between nightmares and night terrors?

[HIU8]

and how do you know if your DC is having one?

DD just started waking up in the middle of the night and screaming bloody murder (I mean high pitched like she is scared type of scream). She is 2.5. She normally wakes up once a night to ask for something to drink and/or to go to the bathroom. She had surgery a week ago Tuesday (tonsils, adenoids and tubes) under general anesthesia. These middle of the night screams started two days after the surgery. Also, she doesn't open her eyes and is somewhat difficult to console. She does eventually fall back asleep (sometimes it has taken a few minutes, sometimes more). Anyone have experience with this? Are these nightmares or night terrors? What can I do to help her? Also, how long does this phase last (if it is a phase)? DS never went through anything like this, so I have no experience really.

[bubbaray]

Sounds like night terrors. You're not supposed to wake them, just quietly comfort them, keep them safe. DD#1 had them, they are freaky until you get used to them. IIRC, they started around that age. Can't remember when they stopped, she d/n get them much now.

If they started that soon after the surgery, you might want to ask if it could be related. Its likely just coincidence, but d/n hurt to ask.

[HIU8]

I am worried it has to do with the anesthesia. We go back for a post op visit tomorrow and I will be asking the ENT about it.

They are freaky. She sits up screams loud and a lot and squeezes he eyes shut. I have been rubbing her back and whispering in her ear until she finally lays back down and settles again.

[billysmommy]

Sounds like night terrors. You're not supposed to wake them, just quietly comfort them, keep them safe. DD#1 had them, they are freaky until you get used to them. IIRC, they started around that age. Can't remember when they stopped, she d/n get them much now.

If they started that soon after the surgery, you might want to ask if it could be related. Its likely just coincidence, but d/n hurt to ask.

:yeahthat: Both boys had them starting about that age. It was totally freaky!!! One thing that would help calm ds1 down is rubbing his cheeks with a cool damp cloth. Ds2 would not calm down at all until we would walk outside with him and then he would just kind of go limp on our shoulder and go back to sleep. They happened probably 2-4 times a week and lasted a few months

[bubbaray]

Sounds very similar to DDs. Could just be coincidence.

[HIU8]

DD seems to sort of respond as I whisper in her ear. I turn on her sleep music and rub her back and sometimes her cheek. She is back asleep now, but tonight's screams were more alarming than they have been so far. I just googled night terrors and have a better understanding of why they may happen. At least that helps me to help DD. Funny thing is she has been getting more sleep and better quality sleep since her surgery last week, even with the night terrors happening.

[rlu]

DS hasn't had a night terror in a long time (knock on wood) but he started young. They are heartwrenching - if you do a search on night terrors you might find my old posts on them. The last one I just sat next to him and talked to him the whole time. It made me feel better to at least be doing something.

eta a few old threads

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=298797&highlight=night+terrors

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=288078&highlight=night+terrors

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=245670&highlight=night+terrors
http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=234423&highlight=night+terrors

[wimama]

My DS started getting night terrors before he was even two years old. They would freak us out a bit. When I talked to my MIL and SIL about it they told me his uncle used to get night terrors. When he was little I took him outside and bounced, rocked and sang to him. The outside air seem to snap him out of it. He would relax and go back to sleep.

He doesn't get them very often anymore. But, he had one a few weeks ago, and he talked to us, making absolutely no sense. He crys and acts like were not there. The big thing for me to recognize them is that his cry is different and he acts like we are not there comforting him. We caressed his back, sang to him and he settle back to sleep quickly.

[MommyAllison]

The big thing for me to recognize them is that his cry is different and he acts like we are not there comforting him.

That's the signs for us, too. Both of our kids have them, though DD has mostly grown out of them, and DS just started. For DS, it is when he doesn't get a nap (he's had 2 so far), so at least they're fairly easy to predict/prevent so far. We never figured out the trigger for DD, but on advice from these boards, we tried talking to her about something familiar to snap her out of them, and it worked. We said things like "Did you have fun in class (sunday school) today? Did you play with James and Avery today?" even if we hadn't done that/seen them, it was a very familiar conversation and it calmed her down every time. Good luck!

[Gena]

My DS had night terrors fom the age of about 2.5 until right around when he turned 4. They were sometimes triggered by change in his normal routine. (This made staying in hotels a lot of fun.) If he was overtired when he went to bed, that often triggered them too. They usually occured a couple of hours after he went to sleep and lasted about 15 or 20 minutes.

[katerinasmom]

Like other posters mentioned, I can tell when my DD is having a night terror v. a nightmare because during a night terror even if her eyes are open she does not respond to us in any way. She does not even recognize that we are there.

I have found that if I guide her to the bathroom (or more likely pick her up and carry her in) and put her on the toilet she will completely snap out of it as soon as she starts to pee. It is not uncommon for her to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and she will often come to me to take her in. Even though she is perfectly capable of taking herself to the bathroom at age 5, in the middle of the night she always wants me to take her. So I think that when she is having a night terror, taking her to the bathroom is a familiar activity that triggers an end to the terror.

[khalloc]

My son has had 2 of these recently and he is not quite 2 yet. I didnt know they were night terrors and was not aware that technically he was still sleeping. he was screaming bloody murder. 1st time I bought him in my bedroom and he cried for so long that DH wanted to bring him to the ER. 2nd time he was in his crib and screaming and would not let me pick him up. I finally did and cuddled him and he continued screaming, but eventually went back to sleep. I mentioned it to his pediatrician at a regular visit and she told me they were night terrors. Next time I will not pick him up and instead try just rubbing his back or something.

[jse107]

I've also read that turning on some light can help. Apparently (from what I read) the child is "stuck" between phases of sleep, which is why it often occurs 1.5-2 hours after they go to sleep. The light can help them adjust. I don't know that it really helps tha tmuch, but it won't hurt!

DS had terrible night terrors. Thankfully, we seem to have outgrown them at this point. it sure wasn't any fun being up with a screaming kid I couldn't help, but he was no worse for the wear!