Sleep terrors are not an issue that one will have to suspect are happening in their home. They are an obvious occurrence that does not go unnoticed. They are more noticeable and might occur more often than simple nightmares. In children, nightmares will usually wake a child from sleep and can be recalled. Sleep terrors are different in that the child will sleep through them and not be aware that they happen, but their family members will observe unusual behaviors, such as sleep walking, screaming, etc.
Causes
There is no known cause for sleep terrors but there are some factors that can bring on the condition in both children and adults. Often, there is a genetic component evidenced by sleep disorders in one or both parents or in a sibling. Usually environmental or emotional changes can trigger sleep terrors and other sleep disorders. Environmental changes could be as simple as having a sleep over in a new place or turmoil in the parental relationship. Stress can begin the cycle of sleep terrors or it can exacerbate it by causing fatigue or sleep deprivation. Sometimes, but not always, abuse, molestation, or other trauma can cause sleep terrors. It is important to discuss possible causes with the child to determine if there is a source of stress, anxiety, or fear that you are unaware of.
Signs
Sleep terrors do not disturb the person having them but can be disruptive to those that share a room or home with the sufferer. During an episode, the person may leave or fall out of the bed and harm themselves unknowingly. Throughout the night the child may scream, cry, or speak clearly but still be in a sleep state. This may be difficult to determine since the actions may seem deliberate and their eyes may be wide open. Screaming or shaking them will not be helpful and may only lengthen the episode. When a person is having an episode of sleep terror it may be necessary to gently restrain them and speak calmly to them to try to redirect them or wake them up. It is difficult to wake someone that is in the throes of an episode but waking them is not dangerous and will not cause them harm if done with care. Sleep terrors can occur regularly or only happen when the sufferer is experiencing an illness or headache. Sleep terrors can affect those with no other mental health conditions. It is still important to get this condition checked by a medical professional to rule out any medical causes and determine a mode of treatment.
Treatment
Treatment for sleep terrors can be from just allowing it to go away over time to using sleep medications to help the sleep cycle normalize. It is important to keep a sleep journal of the sleep terror occurrences. This should include a specific time that the child goes to sleep, how long it takes a sleep terror to occur, and how long it lasts. You may also want to record the behaviors that happen with each episode to determine a pattern. Once there is a clear pattern established you can begin waking the child about fifteen minutes prior to the anticipated sleep terror, keep them awake for a short period of time and then allow them to go back to sleep. In some cases this is enough to disrupt the pattern so the number of episodes is decreased or may stop completely. Making sure the doors and windows are locked and secured is also important. If the bedroom of the sufferer is near stairs it is important to place a barrier in front of the stairs to deter accidents. If the child sleeps in a bunk bed or loft bed it might be necessary to place a mattress on the floor to keep the child from falling out of the bed during an episode. It may be useful to use some of the same safety equipment used to protect babies in a home to keep the sleeping child safe. In some cases, where no other treatment or intervention works, counseling can be used to help deal with the triggers or stress that may be the cause of the sleep terrors. Usually the child will grow out of having sleep terrors but in some cases it is a long term issue.
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