Night Terrors is a sleep disorder that can be caused by several factors. Night terrors are usually episodes of extreme panic, waving and screaming even though he is fast asleep. While medical professionals disagree on the various reasons behind night terrors, the majority believe they are caused by over-excitement in the central nervous system (CNS) while sleeping. They are more common in young children than in adults, and many attacks occur in the first third of the evening, usually between midnight and 2 a.m. Although most young people grow out of it at some point, nightmares are always terrifying attacks that interrupt normal family life.
Night Terror episodes
Often referred to as “sleep anxiety” and also called pavor nocturnus, night terrors are a form of what sleep specialists call parasomnia disorder. They can be characterized by severe panic and a momentary inability to regain full consciousness. While this sounds intimidating, these kinds of sleep problems can also be caused by everyday things like anxiety, constipation, or other abnormal bowel movements. Most of these sleep problems can occur at night if the victim fails to eat a healthy diet, do not get the right amount of rest, deal with stressful life events, or if they continue to go without treatment. These episodes in adults are generally much less common. They are usually based on a traumatic stress event as opposed to genetic, persistent, and often respond well to therapy such as psychotherapy or prescription antidepressants.
Advice to parents
If your child is behaving strangely after waking up, or maybe they only seem to be awake but aren’t, they may have a bona fide night terror. If so, you can take action. Make sure there are no sharp objects in the nursery. Talk to your child in a soothing tone. Stay calm. Reassure them that they are fine and that they are in their own house and their own bed, and that it is okay to go back to sleep. Keep an eye out for items in the room that could hurt your child if he tosses around in his bed (this is a rare occurrence, but it has happened). Even though you may be tempted to stop your child’s night terrors by waking him up, please resist the temptation. It may be best to let him stay awake himself.
Treatment options for night terrors
It is not always necessary to treat night terrors. Children who experience them usually grow out of them in due course. However, for those parents who feel their child’s situation is serious enough to warrant medical attention, options are available. Treatment options can include psychotherapy, hypnosis, various prescription medications and, of course, discovering the real trigger behind a child’s episodes. Consult your GP for more in-depth advice and specific treatment options.
While they can be terrifying to observe, night terrors are harmless events in themselves that almost always result in deep sleep. Still, they are very disturbing and can cause children to fear going to sleep. They can be just as distressing to parents. However, medical attention is sometimes necessary and finding the right combination of therapy and medication can help the child – and their parents too – to enjoy a much more restful night’s sleep. Rest assured, medical help is available for ongoing nightmares.
Night Terror Treatment Options – Help For
World News,Next Big Thing in Public Knowledg
#Night #Terror #Treatment #Options
