It has probably happened to any parent to be woken up in the middle of the night by screams and to have to go and reassure a child frightened by a bad dream. But this is almost nothing compared to what happens with night terrors, which constitute the next level of nightmare, since it is impossible to get the victim out of them.
Often, recalls the American online media HuffPostnight terrors result in screams and sometimes violent gestures, as if the child needed to physically defend himself against an invisible enemy. Sweating, a racing heartbeat, panting: the potential symptoms are numerous. But the most disturbing thing is that despite all these signs, the subject remains asleep.
It’s not easy to know what to do: no matter how much you talk to children who are experiencing night terrors, they often seem to hear nothing and give the impression that it is impossible to reach them. These moments are also very unpleasant for parents who go to their offspring’s bedside: the feeling of helplessness predominates.
Fortunately, after a few minutes, things tend to calm down on their own. The next day, as after a sleepwalking attack, the child remembers nothing, so it is impossible for the parents to discuss it with him, in order to determine in what state he felt and what could have triggered this nocturnal anxiety.
Until adolescence
While adults can experience these types of episodes themselves – often linked to underlying anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder – they are much more common in children under 13. Some people experience night terrors regularly throughout childhood and into adolescence, when things usually calm down.
Researchers struggle to agree on the percentage of children affected, which varies between 1% and 30% depending on the study. But according to the most credible recent study, conducted by Canadian researchers and published in September 2022 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicinethe phenomenon would affect 16.7% to 20.5% of 1-3 year olds, that is to say between one in five and one in six children.
According to science, it is during the first third of the night that most night terror attacks occur, because they occur mainly during non-REM sleep, the phase during which sleep is lightest.
Doctors advise relatives of night terror victims to try not to feel guilty. There is really nothing to do but secure the child and wait with him. They advise sitting quietly next to him, making sure he cannot hurt himself by struggling – or by getting out of bed and running, as some people sometimes do – and waiting.
“Keep in mind that the child will have no memory of this night terror and is in no real danger.”remember Tyanna C. Snidera pediatric psychologist at Children’s National Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Experts also agree that there is no point in trying to wake the subject. “This usually doesn’t work. Children who wake up may be confused and upset.“, summary Jonathan Millerchief of pediatric care at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.
It is still recommended to discuss the concern with a pediatrician or a general practitioner, since night terrors can be linked to obstructive sleep apnea or a reflux problem. On the other hand, there is no medication or therapy aimed at stopping the phases of night terrors. “The best treatment is prevention”says Tyanna C. Snider, who says that several factors can catalyze the onset of night terrors, such as stress, lack of sleep or too much caffeine – which, in young children, are not supposed to happen.
Source: www.slate.fr
