Have you ever found your child walking through the hallways a few hours after they have gone to bed and are confused as to where they are? Or witnessed your child kicking and mumbling in their beds? Contrary to the frightening name of “Night Terrors” these episodes that happen to children are normal and can be dealt with appropriately by considering the following facts.

Night terrors are defined as a partial waking from sleep with behaviors such as kicking, sleeping walking, thrashing, mumbling or screaming. These episodes are harmless and considered normal until the age of six.

For those parents who are not sure what to look for if their child is experiencing a night terror, here are a few dead giveaways:
-Your child’s eyes are open but they do not notice that you are there.
-Their behavior lasts anywhere from 10-30 minutes
-The next morning your child has no recollection of the episode
-Your child is found frightened but cannot be immediately wakened or comforted.

If and when you put the puzzle pieces together and find that your child is in fact having night terrors, it’s good to know how to help your child through them. Here are a few of our tips:

-During a night terror, children can run into things, fall down stairs, or break objects. Try and keep your child away from these areas or keep breakable items out of the reach of your child while they are in bed.
-Prepare babysitters for what might happen so they can respond appropriately.
-Night terrors can often be triggered by a lack of sleep, so try and instill a nap or allow for more sleep during the night to keep these terrors away.
-Know that you cannot soothe or awaken your child during these episodes. Hold your child if that makes them feel better but do not shake or shout at them in order to try and awaken them.