|
|
Sleep Terrors in Children
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
InstructionsSymptomsStep 1: Sleep terrors are characterized by episodes of extreme fear that the child cannot be woken from. The child will appear awake and frightened by an unseen object but she is actually still asleep. She may experience rapid heart rate, confusion, crying, hyperventilation and sweating. The child typically has no memory of the event but he may recall brief episodes of terror. Sleep terrors can occur during nighttime or during daytime naps. The child may sit up suddenly or even attempt to get out of bed. Sleep terror episodes typically last one to two minutes, but it can take up to 30 minutes to console the child. Daytime symptoms are fatigue, impaired functioning at school and distress.
CausesStep 1: The cause of sleep terrors is not exactly known. It is possible that stressors during the day can manifest into a sleep terror. Other possible causes of sleep terrors are sleep deprivation, genetics, medications that affect the central nervous system (CNS), fever and an immature CNS.
DiagnosisStep 1: The first step in diagnosis is a complete medical physical. A physical can rule out any other medical conditions. A diagnosis is typically made from the child and parent's reports of the episodes. Mental health professionals use The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) to determine if the description matches criteria for a diagnosis. There are currently no lab tests for sleep terror diagnosis.
TreatmentStep 1: Treatment may not be needed if the episodes are infrequent and do not cause impairment. Start by consoling the child if he is frightened. Attempts to wake the child may result in injury. Set up the child's room so that she cannot injure herself during a sleep terror episode. Rearrange furniture, put away sharp or dangerous objects, and lock the windows. Among the successful medications for treatment of sleep terrors are Imipramine, Benzodiazepine and Benadryl. These medications can help sedate the child and reduce the number of episodes of sleep terrors.
StatisticsStep 1: Sleep terrors occur more often in boys than girls. According to eMedicine, anywhere from 1 percent to 6 percent of children will experience sleep terrors during their lifetime. The age groups most commonly affected are ages three through 12. The average age of onset is 3.5, according to eMedicine.
Related Content
Night terrors is a sleeping disorder that can occur in children who are between the ages of three and eight years old, as well as some adults. Night terrors occur during NREM sleep, or non-rapid...
Nocturnal seizures in children are a sub-form of epilepsy.Many children who have had nocturnal seizures also have experienced epileptic seizures during the daytime hours. There are children...
Sleep terrors, also called night terrors, is a rare type of sleep disorder that affects children. Although any child can develop sleep terrors, it is more common among children aged four to 12,...
Sleep deprivation not only affects adults, but many children are victims as well. Parents of children with sleep disturbances know all too well the difficulties involved with having children with...
Establishing a sleep schedule for a baby is a daunting task for new parents. Much to a parent's delight, an infant will eventually establish a fairly predictable sleep routine. At about 18 months,...
|
- Relationship advice
- Brain teasers, trivia & jokes
- Random questions
- And much more!
go