Night Terrors vs. Nightmares
Print This PageYour young child awakens screaming during the night. You think he is having a nightmare. But he may be having a night terror. How to tell the difference?
Night terrors are one of the "partial sleep awakenings," which include sleep talking and sleepwalking. They occur in the first half of the child's night. He may be thrashing about in bed or running around. He is inconsolable and seems unresponsive to your questions. If he is talking, he is not making any sense. The child will not be looking at you, but rather through you. If he doesn't seem fully awake, it is because he is not. He is half awake. After many minutes, the episode will end and he can be led back to bed and return to sleep. In the morning, he will have no recollection of the episode. Once you recognize the night terror for what it is, it is best to leave the child alone. The episode is likely to end sooner. You should not discuss it with the child during the day.
Nightmares occur in the second half of the night. The child is awake and believes that the dream was real. He wants his parent and can be calmed fairly easily. Though still frightened, he is responsive. His fear may make it difficult to get him to return to bed or fall asleep. He may remember the nightmare in the morning. You may wish to talk to him about it and reassure him.