Max looks so peaceful when he's asleep, doesn't he?
Too bad his REM time has become a time of terror. Three to four nights a week he'll start screaming, kicking and thrashing, all while still asleep. We'll go in there and try to calm him down but it's like he doesn't recognize us. It's always about three hours after he's gone to bed, and it usually lasts a half-hour.
Reading in all those handy-dandy reference books I've found out these are called night terrors. Sometimes he has nightmares, with different screaming and crying. During these he can be woken up and will recognize us.
He had a nightmare last Thursday night, so I broke all my rules and allowed him out of bed. I took him with me to the couch and we watched The Office together. Now he keeps talking about it -- "Remember when I was scared and I sat on your lap and we watched The Office? The man was stuck in the bushes and the other man pushed him with his car." It was a good episode, but maybe not appropriate for a toddler.
Anyway, I don't know what to do about the night terrors. They make us all sleep poorly. The books say they are rare and kids grow out of them, but it's been a few months now.
3 comments:
I'm so sorry. Gracie has had terrors only three times, but it's awful. She really doesn't know what is going on. Hope things get better.
Madison had night terrors, still does if she is overly tired. I'm so sorry - it is so scary when they scream & thrash. When it first started happening (with Maddie)I was eerily reminded of the exorcist.
Caitlin gets those ALL the time! It mostly happens because she never takes naps... and plays WAY hard, so she's super, super exhausted by the time she goes to bed...
I got them as a child too... and I remember this strange 're-occurring' dream that had my dad's voice in it... SCARED ME TO DEATH!!!! I think it was because he was trying to wake me during my terrors... but it’s a strange thing, like sleep walking… your not supposed to wake them, or they loose their left eye or something. SO, to avoid having your child be scared to death of your voice... I suggest not talking at all, tucking them back into bed and just try to rub their back or rock them back to sleep. It’s worked for us so far…. But yeah, I think they have to grow out of it…but the first time it happened I thought Caitlin was seriously possessed!
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