Cauchemars et terreurs nocturnes chez l'enfant

Cauchemars et terreurs nocturnes chez l'enfant

Nightmares and night terrors are a common experience in childhood. These are vivid, scary dreams that typically occur in the later stages of sleep, often about 90 minutes after falling asleep. They are a normal part of a child’s development and happen to most toddlers.

Children who experience nightmares wake up scared or upset and often need parental support to feel safe again and fall asleep again. Some of them have different nightmares every time, while others may experience the same scenarios repeatedly.

Usually, children grow out of nightmares between the ages of 9 and 11.

What causes nightmares?

They often appear for no apparent reason. In some cases, however, they can be related to stress, anxiety, or difficult experiences. Such dreams can then reflect intense emotions or images related to the event that triggered them.

So what are night terrors?

Night terrors are a completely different experience than nightmares. They usually occur in the first 2-3 hours after falling asleep, when the child goes into a deep sleep.

Your child may suddenly scream, cry, or express panic that lasts 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, he often has his eyes wide open, but he does not recognize those around him and does not respond to attempts to calm him down. The next day, he usually does not remember that the episode took place at all.

Night terrors are a natural part of development in many children and should not cause excessive anxiety, although they can be difficult for the parent accompanying the baby. Just like nightmares, they can occur without an apparent cause, although sometimes they are genetic and more common in families where others have had similar experiences.

Scientific literature states that the cause of night terrors is disturbed waking up from slow-wave sleep in phases 3 and 4 in the first part of the night. Night terrors occur in the first 1/3 of night sleep, actually until the period when this type of sleep predominates. All factors that prolong slow-wave sleep, e.g. the consequences of sleep deprivation, can increase the likelihood of night terrors in children with a particular susceptibility to this type of disorder.

In some cases, they can be caused by:

• sleep deprivation,
• Fever
• reflux,
• or other health problems, such as seizures.

How to support a child during a nightmare?

• Hug him and reassure him that he is safe.
• Say that the nightmare was just a dream that is not real.
• Try to find out what could have caused the nightmare, especially if the child experiences it regularly. You can talk about his concerns and help him understand them.

In the case of recurring nightmares, it is also worth looking at whether the child is experiencing stress or anxiety in everyday life.

And how to act during night terrors?

During night terrors, the child is usually not fully conscious and does not respond to attempts to wake up. To help him:

• Check that it is safe and make sure that there are no objects in the room that could cause injury.
• Stay calm and wait for the episode to pass.
• Don’t try to wake your baby up – this can further confuse them and make it harder for them to fall asleep again.
• Make sure that doors, gaps and railings by the stairs are closed, because during night terror your child can get out of bed and move around the house.

If you are going out in the evening and someone else is looking after your child, let the caregiver know what to expect and how to respond.

When to see a doctor?

It is worth consulting a doctor if:

• Nightmares or night terrors happen very often and disturb the sleep of the whole family.
• The child is extremely sleepy during the day.
• Episodes are dangerous and can cause a risk of injury to the child or others.

Support, understanding and a calm response are the best you can offer your child. Remember that most children grow out of these episodes, and proper sleep habits and hygiene can help reduce their frequency. However, if the problem seems more serious, don’t hesitate to seek help from a specialist.