Cet article est à titre informatif uniquement et ne remplace pas un avis médical. En cas de doute, contactez votre pédiatre ou sage-femme.
Night Terrors (Pavor Nocturnus) in Babies & Toddlers
Night terrors are a harmless sleep disorder where your child suddenly screams, thrashes, and appears panicked from deep sleep — but is NOT awake. They don't recognise you and remember nothing the next morning. As frightening as it is for parents: your child is not suffering. Night terrors usually start from 18 months and resolve on their own.
Causes Possibles
- 1Immature nervous system — transition between deep and light sleep doesn't go smoothly
- 2Overtiredness or too little sleep — most common trigger
- 3Irregular sleep schedule or dropping the daytime nap
- 4Fever or illness can trigger night terrors
- 5Genetic component — runs in families
Ce Que Vous Pouvez Faire
- Do NOT try to wake the child — this prolongs and worsens the episode
- Stay calmly near the child and protect them from injury (don't restrain)
- Don't turn on lights, don't shake, don't talk to them
- Ensure the child gets enough sleep (adjust bedtimes)
- Establish a fixed bedtime and calming evening routine
Quand Consulter un Médecin ?
- Episodes occur almost every night and severely impact family sleep
- Child also shows noticeable behaviour or developmental issues during the day
- Rhythmic movements or twitching during the episode (epilepsy evaluation)
- Child is confused or disoriented for a long time after the episode (atypical for night terrors)
Notes Selon l'Âge
Night terrors typically start from 18 months, peaking between 2 and 6 years. They happen in the first third of the night (1-3 hours after falling asleep), last 5-20 minutes, and the child falls right back to sleep. Important difference from nightmares: with nightmares, the child WAKES UP, remembers, needs comfort. With night terrors, they do NOT.
Questions Fréquentes
Are night terrors dangerous for my child?
How do I tell the difference between a night terror and a nightmare?
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Cet article est à titre informatif uniquement. Il ne remplace pas un avis médical individuel. En cas de préoccupation, contactez votre pédiatre, sage-femme, ou appelez les urgences.