Month 21 Worry: Why Does My Toddler Wake Up Screaming?

Reviewed by Dr. Mary Ann LoFrumento in February 2010

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Night terrors can come in many varieties. The classic night terror involves sitting up in the crib, eyes wide open and screaming like there is a lion loose in the room (because that is what she might be dreaming). Kids are generally inconsolable and may even get a bit more agitated as you try to comfort them. They may hallucinate, talk gibberish, or lash out at you physically.

Night terrors can also involve talking (for those more verbal toddlers), saying nothing, or even laughing. I had one family ready to call the family chaplain for an exorcism after finding their child sitting up in bed at 10:30 PM looking at the wall and giggling with a deep voice. Yikes! (No wonder some say they are called night "terrors"—because they terrify parents.)

What the Docs May Do

Your child's doctor will likely tell you that night terrors are normal and then explain the physiology behind them. (This is a fairly common late-night discussion with a worried parent over the phone.)

What patterns do night terrors follow?

• They typically occur one to two hours into the night's sleep, or certainly in the first third of your child's night's sleep.
• The terror generally lasts less than 20 minutes and concludes with the child lying down and going into a deeper stage of sleep.
• Night terrors often occur in bunches. We tend to see more of them when kids are off schedule and their routines are disrupted—so, during holidays (when bedtimes are less rigid), just after a move to a new home, during times of illness, or even following Daylight Saving Time changes can come times of increased terrors.

How can parents handle night terrors?

The usual advice for parents of kids with recurrent night terrors is to check on your child to make sure everything is OK and to let it run its course—not always an easy task when your child seems so miserable. If you intervene, which is a parent's natural instinct, it usually takes longer to resolve and involves more agitation.

When kids are having frequent and predictable night terrors, doctors will sometimes advise waking kids 15 minutes before a night terror will likely occur. So if Will is having nightly terrors at 10:30, you might awaken him at 10:00 or 10:15 briefly and let him fall back asleep. This disrupts the sleep cycle just enough to avert the predictable sleep disturbance. Most children outgrow their night terrors before they turn 12, though a few adults still have them on occasion.

More 21st Month Help

Even the most confident parent has concerns about her child's health and wellness from time to time. Learn more about which medical issues are most common at each age, here. (If you have any pressing concerns or questions about your child's health, please check with her healthcare provider.)

• What was last month's most popular health worry?
• Learn which medical question you might have next month.
• Here's what else is happening with your child's health and development this month.

(Click here to see how BabyZone breaks down your child's age into weeks, months, and years.)