Natalie (19mths.)goes to bed at 8pm each night and has always been a wonderful sleeper. The last 3 nights she has awakened screaming around 10-11pm. This is not her normal cry at all. Here's the deal:
-When picked up, doesn't want to be held
-When put down, walks around like a drunk, falling over everything
-Rubs eyes and nose NON-STOP
-Howls, not cries
-Eyes rarely open
-Nothing can comfort or soothe
-All 3 nights lasts about 30min.
-IS responsive (that's what is confusing me with what I've read about night terrors) Example: Do you want a cup? "No" Do you want an icey? "no" Do you want your doggie? "No" Tonight she even responded with about 5 different animals sounds that we asked her!
-Finally after about 30 min. and she's sitting in the family room in the near-dark, she just "wakes up" and is completely back to normal. Gets an animal to take back to bed, goes back to sleep, and sleeps the whole night through.

What I've read about night terrors in the last couple of days, it sounds like this might be it?? It often says it has due to routine changes. We are RIDICULOUS about schedules around here, but the last 4-5 days she has slept A LOT due to illness/cold. She's just really overslept in the last 4-5 days...slept in until 9am(normally up at 7am), still tired the whole day, still took a 3-hr. nap, slept all night. That's been her only "change" in schedule...just oversleeping.

It's terrible to watch and it lasts so long! Is this length normal? Any suggestions for helping her through it? I would GREATLY appreciate any inof/advice/experiences.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 11:00 pm:

Sorry about the mistakes....LONG day, fast typing!!

By Tink on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 11:58 pm:

My ds, Seth, has had these for several years and this sounds pretty textbook to me. The responsiveness is a bit off but my ds is able to respond also and our pediatrician said that noises and speaking can make their way into the night terror and be understood. I found that a sippy cup and being wrapped up tightly in a blanket was the easiest way to deal with it. I found that the more I tried to get through to him, the more agitated he became. If I just did as little as possible to stimulate him further, he snapped out of it a little more quickly. Unfortunately, I think 30 minutes is pretty normal. Seth's have lasted from 10 minutes to over an hour. Seth is most likely to have them if he's especially tired or getting sick. He really loves his routines and schedules, too.

I know I've rambled but I wanted to reassure you as much as possible. Night terrors seem to be as traumatic for parents as they are for the child...and we remember them the next morning!

By Dawnk777 on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 12:58 am:

I just watched a nursing education presentation on pediatric sleep troubles, given by one of the peds at the clinic where I work. In her section on night terrors, she said that they usually happened a few hours after going to bed, so that would fit the pattern of what you were just talking about.

I think they did with Sarah and eventually, Emily, too.

By Reds9298 on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 01:00 pm:

Thanks guys...DH and I were talking about this. She does get more irritated when we try to comofrt, soothe, etc. We talked about just letting her stay in her crib until it's over. It's not that we want to ignore her, but it seems that we make it worse. And when we actually enter the room, she doesn't reach for us or look relieved that comfort has arrived. She just sits there howling. Before all of this, when she would just awake with a bad dream, she's very easily comforted, pick up for 3 min. and she's fine and ready to go back to sleep. Her not being comforted easily is really unusual for her.

She doesn't seem to want us to hug her or hold her close, so I don't think the blanket would work for her. Would it be terrible if we just waited it out while she's in her crib if it happens again tonight? I wouldn't feel so bad about it because she doesn't want us anyway and seems to just get mad at us. Would that be a terrible thing? Maybe we'll try it and see if it helps at all.

I also read in an online article that turning on a light can be helpful. ??? It IS a terrible thing to watch because your little one just doesn't seem like she's all there, you know?

I appreciate any thoughts/suggestions/experience. Thank you so far!!!

By Cat on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 02:07 pm:

I agree it does sound like night terrors. Robin had them from the time he was about 6 or 7 months old until he was about 9yo. Not all the time, but usually if he was overtired or something had thrown his routine. Good luck and hugs. I know how hard it is.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 03:09 pm:

During a night terror, they seem awake, but they really aren't, and can't be consoled, because they really don't seem to understand who you are!

By Tink on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 03:42 pm:

Dawn pegged it. Natalie isn't recognizing you because she's still asleep. If she doesn't want to be wrapped up, I'd leave her in the crib. I'd go in every few minutes so that she knows you're there when she does wake up fully and I'd do a few things to help ease her to wakefullness, like turning on the light, talking soothingly to her, rubbing her back or holding her hand, if she'll let you. It's so hard to watch them so upset and feel so helpless. {{{Natalie and Deanna}}}

By Andi on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 11:49 am:

So sorry Natalie is going through something like this. I've never dealt with it so no advice here just ((hugs)).

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 05:26 pm:

this thread was revived by spam before Andi's post