Do you find that your little one has been having issues with their sleeping time? Do they jolt up in a panic when they are sleeping? These disruptive events are called Night Terrors. More than 40% of children experience this but eventually grow out of it. There is a difference between a nightmare and a night terror, a nightmare is common amongst all of us and is an actual dream, but night terrors are not dreams. According to KidsHealth.org, a night terror is a sudden reaction of fear that happens during the transition from one sleep stage to another. So, the reaction that a child feels is what makes it a night terror.
Let’s dig deeper into these terrors, shall we…Night Terrors are when non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) transitions into light-REM. To make it easier to understand, this stage in the cycle is when you are going into a deeper sleep. Some children panic and become fearful going through this transition, and that creates the infamous night terrors. An interesting thing about night terrors is that the memory of having them is lost in some kids. When this type of non-REM happens, they have no memory of what had occurred the night before! Interesting right?!
To identify if your little one is having one, look out for these signs and symptoms: the child screaming or shouting in fear, rapid heartbeat, sweating, sudden movements of panic (jolting upright), or feeling upset and scared. When these symptoms occur, it is best to not wake them up. Most of the time, the child may soothe themselves and fall back to sleep. But if you feel like these night terrors are becoming excessive and worrisome, you can contact your doctor right away!
There are numerous reasons why children get night terrors. It may affect those that are ill, overtired, or stressed out, taking a new medication, a high caffeine intake, or not getting enough sleep. Totally forgot to mention! Low iron levels may be a contributor! Silly of us to forget! Iron plays a huge role in sleep cycles, but did you know that it can also be a contributing factor to night terrors?! Don’t believe us? Check out this recent study! It has found that children who experienced night terrors were low in iron!
If you do find that your child is iron deficient, might we suggest our delicious Iron Strawberry Jam or original strawberry flavor? How about a Cola Flavor? Or what about a Mystery Flavor that you can guess and possibly win a full year’s worth of V.F’s? We’ll just leave these here for you…
Night terrors, nightmares, and scary monsters in the closet is something that some parents or guardians deal with. These fears normally are outgrown by their teen years, but for now, it is best to be there for your child through these occasions!
