Maybe a night terror? Help please?

[creekprincess]

Ds is 4.3 I woke him to go potty a bit ago. After going potty but while his pants were still down he screams he wants daddy...then yelling he did not want this pointing at the wall. All the while he is mumbling nonsense that neither SO or I can understand and shaking uncontrollably. SO picks him up and we go in our room to try to sooth him....again he is still shaking like crazy....mumbling....then his nose starts to bleed. After a few...maybe 5 mintues he calms down some. And was sleep in about 20 mins.Is this a night terror?Thanks

[4evermom]

Sounds like it...  My ds would have open eyes but they would look glazed.  And he would shake and make sounds of distress.  It was pretty freaky the first time since he usually was very verbal but wasn't being coherent.  He used to get nose bleeds a lot for a couple of years but he grew out of them.  I don't think that was related to the night terrors (though the nose bleeds always woke him up).

[creekprincess]

Hi thanks for the response. It was really freaking... I just was not sure if it was a night terror since i thought he was awake. Hope it does not happen again.

[paula444four]

Does sound like a night terror. My son gets them frequently when he has to go potty in the middle of the night. One thing that I just recently found that works for my son (and hopefully yours) is a foot massage...but more of a foot squeeze. It gave him peace..he quickly quieted and went to sleep...wish I would have tried that years ago! Worth a shot. Good luck mama.

[mamamille]

My daughter gets them too and she is soo upset and stares at stuff I can't see and it's so sad and scary!  I have noticed that it happens when we wake her up within the first 2-3 hours of her falling asleep (I googled it and learned night terrors always happen within the first 4 hours of sleep) to potty.  It triggers it.  Or if she had a rough bedtime (she's 4 and totally obnoxious).  I don't ask her questions or engage her.  I repeat that she's safe and that "mommy is here" and I try to hold her upperbody/head to give her a physical sense of safety.  I also shush in her ear- white noise- until she stops yelling and crying.  I don't pick her up, but lay next to her in bed.  Normally in 10 min she is back asleep.

I am sure she will grow out of it.

[mad4mady]

I had nigh terrors as a child and what you describe sounds like one. I would definatly look into it. The previous poster gave good advice for comforting your child during the night terror. I would usually slowly wake up from mine and I would be terrified but, having my mom right there holding me and reassuring me helped me feel safe. I think my mom said mine used to get worse on days I was overly tried when I went to bed or had too much going on that day. Good luck and I hope they do not last for long.

[mom2happy]

My DD had very bad night terrors up until 6 yrs old.

Sometimes they seemed to be triggered from not enough sleep the night before.

It was VERY important to stay on routine with her.

IMO, kids with night terrors have highly sensitive nervous systems.