Night Terrors
We look after your family's health
Night terrors are similar to a nightmare, but more dramatic in that a child will wake screaming and flailing in apparent intense fear. Most common in children under 13yrs of age, night terrors are caused by the part of the brain that controls “fight or flight” responses, which become over excited during non-REM sleep stages. Things that disturb sleep can make night terrors more likely, such as obstructive sleep apnoea, not getting enough sleep, anxiety or stress or having too much caffeine. As with other sleep disturbances, such as sleepwalking, night terrors often run in families. Our doctors can diagnose night terrors, help parents identify potential causes and discuss how to manage night terror episodes.
