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It is a sleep disorder characterized by episodes in which the person seems terrified – hence the name. It is not a nightmare or sleepwalking, but a separate problem, characterized by the intensity of the episodes. The individual stands up, screams, makes expressions of fear, becomes extremely agitated and appears to be in a panic. All this while he sleeps. This “outburst” lasts about five minutes and usually happens in the early evening. The next day, when he wakes up, he doesn’t remember anything. This disorder is much more recurrent in children: between 10 and 15% of them have or have had episodes of night terror, while in adults the occurrence is less than 5%. Over the years, night terrors have been confused with epilepsy, seizures and even demonic possession.
THE ORIGIN
There is no exact cause for the disorder, but there are situations that can predispose the child to have it, such as sleep deprivation, having a very busy day, having a high fever or going through stressful events. There is a genetic factor too: parents who had the disorder can justify the incidence in their children
INTO THE NIGHT
During the episode, the person has intense cardiovascular movement and altered breathing. The agitation is extreme and she may talk, cry, scream, moan, sweat, lash out at people, or injure herself. She looks awake, but she’s not – and she’s not completely asleep either, it’s an in-between state. When she wakes up, she doesn’t remember anything.
VERY CALM AT THIS TIME
During the episode, care must be taken so that the person does not get hurt, protecting ladders and dangerous objects. You have to follow the outbreak and wait for it to pass. After a few minutes, the person may go back to sleep or wake up. Offering comfort in case she wakes up scared is essential. It is not indicated to wake her up during the episode, as the abrupt awakening can leave her confused and frightened.
EVERYTHING WILL CALM DOWN
Night terrors usually go away with time. This process can be accelerated if the parents try to minimize the child’s stress and adopt a regular bedtime and wake up time, if possible providing more sleep time for the child. In most cases, it is not necessary to start treatment, which is done with medication.
Curiosity: Night terror does not alter the child’s intellectual development. At most, she can be more irritated and parents less rested
Curiosity: Studies point to a relationship between the disorder and the immaturity of the central nervous system, which could explain the higher incidence in children.
QUESTION Thales Heitor, Sobral, CE
CONSULTANCY Sandra Doria Xavier, professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Santa Casa de São Paulo and specialist in sleep medicine, and Gustavo Antonio Moreira, pediatrician and researcher at the Sleep Institute