2024-08-20 14:00:48
August 20, 2024
Does your child wake up screaming in the middle of the night? An absolute nightmare. Unless it’s a night terror. Because the two terms do not cover the same reality. Therefore, you must act accordingly.
Parents are often distraught when their children wake up in the middle of the night. Between nightmares and night terrors, confusion reigns supreme.
Nightmares are “bad” dreams that occur in the second half of the night, during the contradictory stages of sleep. They are an integral part of a child’s psychological development.
Most often, nightmares wake up nappers. He cries and moans but is very capable of telling you every detail. Take the time to listen to him and reassure him. You will help him “escape his dreams” and fall back to sleep. If he asks, turn on the lights to let him know there’s nothing to be afraid of in his room. The next night, he may not want to sleep. Once again, a few words quickly put his mind at ease.
night terrors
They appear within 1 to 3 hours after falling asleep. The child sat up suddenly, eyes wide open. He is usually pale, sweaty, and gesticulating as if facing an enemy. His breathing was heavy and his heartbeat was racing. Unlike the nightmare, the child did not wake up.
But how to deal with these horrors? First, there is no need to wake the child. If he is very agitated, move the dangerous object away and wait until he calms down. Since he didn’t remember it, there was no need to talk to him about it the next day. This type of parasomnia mainly affects children under the age of two. Regardless, make sure he has a regular sleep schedule and gets enough naps to avoid this happening again.
Source: The Health of My Child Aged 1-3 by Christine Laouénan, Editions Pascal – A Guide to Healthy Children Aged 0 to 14 by Dr Eve Balzamo, Flammarion
Written by: Vincent Roche – Editor: Emmanuel Ducreuzet
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