Night Terrors Quiz

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Reviewed By:

Yu Shirai

Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)

Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.

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Learn more about Night terrors

Content updated on Sep 20, 2022

What is night terrors?

These are fearful episodes involving screaming, flailing and/or thrashing that occur when the person is asleep and don't have memory of upon awakening. They are common in children, who tend to outgrow it with age. This is generally not worrisome unless sleep is significantly disrupted (and hence insufficient).

Symptoms of night terrors

  • Unable to recall abnormal behaviors or actions that I did while asleep

  • Uncontrollable movements that usually happen at night

  • Eyes open during seizure

  • Child cries at night

  • Have slept so deeply that others were unable to awaken me

  • Punch or strike out with fists while asleep

  • When sleeping, I sometimes scream loudly and wake up

  • Uncontrollable movements that make me subconsciously walk or wander around

Questions your doctor may ask to check for night terrors

Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose night terrors

  • Are you unable to recall abnormal behaviors or actions that you did while asleep?

  • Do your uncontrollable movements usually happen at night?

  • Does your child cry at night for no particular reason?

  • Have you ever slept so deeply that others were unable to awaken you?

  • Do you punch or strike out with your fists while asleep?

Treatment for night terrors

Medical treatment is generally not needed. Treatment may be helpful for particularly disruptive night terrors or night terrors that may compromise safety. Treatment options include treating underlying causes (sleep apnea, or stress and anxiety), or waking the person in anticipation of an episode before a night terror begins.

Diseases related to Night terrors

References

  • Van Horn NL, Street M. Night Terrors. 2021 Jul 10. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 29630274.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493222/

  • Snyder DM, Goodlin-Jones BL, Pionk MJ, Stein MT. Inconsolable night-time awakening: beyond night terrors. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2008 Aug;29(4):311-4. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181829f4c. PMID: 18698194.

    https://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/Abstract/2008/08000/Inconsolable_Night_Time_Awakening__Beyond_Night.10.aspx

  • Boyden SD, Pott M, Starks PT. An evolutionary perspective on night terrors. Evol Med Public Health. 2018 Apr 14;2018(1):100-105. doi: 10.1093/emph/eoy010. PMID: 29765596; PMCID: PMC5941156.

    https://academic.oup.com/emph/article/2018/1/100/4971513

  • Cimolai N. Night terrors associated with celiac disease. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Jun;30(6):687-688. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000001098. PMID: 29697525.

    https://journals.lww.com/eurojgh/Citation/2018/06000/Night_terrors_associated_with_celiac_disease.16.aspx

Reviewed By:

Yu Shirai

Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)

Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.

Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide

Shohei Harase

Shohei Harase, MD

Neurology

Kameda Medical Center, Japan

Yu Shirai

Yu Shirai, MD

Psychiatry

Yotsuya Yui Clinic, Japan

Yoshinori Abe

Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal medicine

Co-founder of Ubie, Inc.

Rohini R

Rohini R, MD

Ear, nose, throat (ENT)

Bayshore Health Centre, India

Seiji Kanazawa

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD

Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)

National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan

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