Ashley was so scared last night - Not a night terror...

MommyToAshley wrote: Ashley normally sleeps straight through the night. Last night, we heard this awful scream and I went to see what was wrong. Ashley was crying, wide awake, coherent, but said she was scared. I thought maybe she just had a bad dream, so I held her and rocked her for a bit and put her back to bed. Then about two hours later (around 2am), she screamed again. DH went to check on her and she had her hands over her eyes (she does this when she is scared) and was trembling. He picked her up and she just buried her head in his shoulder and kept saying, "I'm scared! I'm scared Daddy!” So, he brought her in to me. She held on to me soooo tight. We asked her what she was scared of, and she gave a few different answers. She said she was scared of a picture. Not sure what picture, we haven't hung the pictures back up in her room yet. Then she said she was scared of her toys, and then she said someone (or something) was sitting on her. Then she talked about a green ball. She was wide awake, not sleep talking. Usually she communicates very well, but we haven't been able to figure out what she was scared of. She didn't want to go back in her room, so we let her lay in bed with us. Then about an hour later, she went back to her bed with no problem.

I heard that with night terrors, that they are not really awake and you can't communicate with them. So maybe this was a nightmare, not sure what the difference is. But, I felt so bad seeing my little girl so scared. I've never seen her like this before and I was ready to after I put her back to bed.

Nothing has happened that I can think of that would scare her. Any ideas or suggestions? I hope it doesn't repeat tonight. It just broke my heart to see her so scared.

amynicole21 replied: Poor Ashley!! Def. sounds like a bad dream rather than night terrors. I hope that there isn't a repeat tonight.

DansMom replied: I can still remember the things I imagined and saw starting as a toddler and really continuing until puberty. It must have been something like a half-awake dream. Poor Ashley! I hope she sleeps blissfully tonight. Did she go to bed super-tired or over-tired? It seems like Daniel has weirdness like that in the middle of the night when he is overtired at bedtime.

MomToMany replied: Poor Ashley! I think it might be a developmental thing. Her imagination just might be getting too big for her to handle right now. I know when Hannah has a nightmare, she can never tell me exactly what scared her. Ethan has the same trouble too.

Maybe this trick might work if there's something in her room that scares her. Take a small spray bottle and fill it with water. She can then "spray away" whatever she is scared of. Just an idea.

smullin replied: It couldn't be a night terror because the child is always a sleep and you have to sit there and try to wake them up while they scream and scream. Usually a person who will sleep walk later in life will have night terrors when they are little. Also night terrors usually happen to babies and toddlers. She may be right out of that stage but maybe not. It sounds like a really bad dream. She may have been just trying to think of something cause what really scared her didn't make sense to her. Going to back to that wild imagination. Hope she doesn't have any more nights like this even though I am afraid she may later down the line. Poor girl !

SaraH

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Oh my gosh! Maddie has had the night terrors where she isnt' awake, but never anything like what you described. However, I did this as a child. I remember one time waking up in the night b/c I had to potty and next to my bed I made out this person sitting next to me. I was so scared. I didn't even want to scream for my mom, but I did and when she came in the room and turned on the light I saw that it was just the way something in my room was arranged and it cast a shadow that looked to me like a person. I was about 4 or 5 at the time. I have done this so many times and still do to this day. I get myself so freaked out. My heart stops and I get short of breath. It is really bad. Next time she does this just go around her room and point to things and ask her what she saw. Turn the light on and let her walk around the room with you scoping it out. It could have been a bad dream or she could have gotten spooked by something in there. Things look so differently in the dark. She has a very vivid imagination, too.

jcc64 replied: I've spoken before (as has Tracy) of my profound fears and dreams in the middle of the night as a child. I agree that it is probably a sign of a maturing of her imagination, and her inability to differentiate between it and reality. I would turn all the lights on, explain that lots of people feel scared at night, but that there's nothing different in her room at night that isn't there during the day. I'm not sure that would have helped me at night as a child, but it's worth a shot. I've heard of the "monster spray" idea before, and again, maybe that would work for some kids, but I'm not sure if that would have worked for me either. I only think it's important that you acknowledge her fear and let her know she's not alone, that you'll always be there to "protect" her. I know it's heartbreaking, Dee Dee, but if there's any comfort in it, I'd say it's just a sign of a very active, intelligent, creative mind blowing off some steam.

A&A'smommy replied: OH poor Ashley and mommy and daddy!!!!!! Alyssa does this even being young she will wake up in the middle of the night screaming (and she sleeps with us) and then she will cling to me I think its just nightmares. I was kinda like Amiee I was always affraid of seeing something and to this day I still do it!!!

ediep replied: oh my!! Poor Ashley, that sounds terrible. My neighbors son had night terrors and she was describing it to me, she said he sreamed at the top of his lungs and hysterically crying and thrashing around. They had to almost try to restrain him and try to wake him up because he was asleep and unaware what he was doing. That sounds soooooo scary. It sounds liek Ashley had a nightmare since she was awake and you were able to calm her down. Hope she has a better night tonight.

IzzyBsmama replied: AW Poor Ashley! That's so scary for them.

With Night terrors.....my son had a couple when he was about 3 or 4 yrs old. He would just start screaming and screaming in his sleep! I would hold him and he'd just keep screaming then he would PEEE all over THEN wake up. But when he'd snap out of it..he was like in a daze!! It was the WEIRDEST thing ever. He only had that happen twice. Now he's 12 but he does sleep walk and talk. That's a little freaky too. He hasn't done this in about a year...but he used to always go in our room and stand over us. We'd wake up with his face looking right at us. VERY scary to wake up to that! LOL Thank goodness he hasn't done that in a while! But he still sleep talks!

Adrienne

kit_kats_mom replied: Aw poor thing. I think it has to do with their imaginations becoming more active. K's been having more nightmares too. she will sit up in bed and make noises and move her arms all around...really wierd.

alice&arik replied: Arik had an episode last night too. He would scream and then start swinging his arms and kicking his legs. Then he would start talking and yelling "please, please". Then he would go back to sleep. And the weird part was he was covered with a cold sweat. His head would be all wet after it happened, I thought he was sick so I felt all over and he wasn't hot, just a cold sweat. He did it about 3 or 4 times. Really weird.

Maybe there is a nightmare bug going around?

Josie83 replied: O I'm sorry she was so petrified, you must have bene upset I hate seeing Cassie scared too. I wonder what it was? If it happens again, maybe an expert might be able to help xx