Pavos Nocturnus
A night terror, also known as a sleep terror or pavor nocturnus, is a parasomnia disorder characterized by extreme terror and a temporary inability to regain full consciousness. The subject wakes abruptly from slow-wave sleep,
with waking usually accompanied by gasping, moaning, or screaming. It
is often impossible to awaken the person fully, and after the episode
the subject normally settles back to sleep without waking. A night
terror can rarely be recalled by the subject. They typically occur
during non-rapid eye movement sleep
The lack of a dream itself leaves those awakened from a night
terror in a state of disorientation much more severe than that caused
by a normal nightmare. This can include a short period of amnesia
during which the subjects may be unable to recall their names,
locations, ages, or any other identifying features of themselves.
In children
Children from age two to six are most prone to night terrors, and they affect about fifteen percent of all children,[1] although people of any age may experience them. Episodes may recur for a couple of weeks then suddenly disappear.[citation needed] The symptoms also tend to be different, like the child being able to recall the experience, and while nearly arisen, hallucinate.[citation needed] Strong evidence has shown that a predisposition to night terrors and other parasomniac disorders can be passed genetically.[citation needed]
Though there are a multitude of triggers, emotional stress during the
previous day and a high fever are thought to precipitate most episodes.[citation needed]
Ensuring the right amount of sleep is an important factor. Night
terrors may also be caused by stress and constipation and other
irregular bowel movements or lack thereof.[citation needed] Special consideration must be used when the subject suffers from narcolepsy, as there may be a link.[citation needed]
Common elements
A typical night terror episode usually occurs in the first hour of sleep. The child sits up in bed and screams, appearing awake but is confused, disoriented, and unresponsive to stimuli. Although the child seems to be awake, the child does not seem to be aware of the parents’ presence and usually does not talk. The child may thrash around in bed and does not respond to comforting by the parents. The child’s heart rate can escalate during the terror, along with sweating and harsh breathing. [1]
Most episodes last only a few minutes, but they may last up to 3 hours before the child relaxes and returns to normal sleep.
In some cases the night terror could be recalled by the person, depending on age and the nature of the episode.
Treatment
Since night terrors are most commonly triggered by being overtired, sometimes no treatment is necessary except for a bedtime schedule that ensures proper sleep. If the night terrors are more frequent, however, it has been suggested that the sufferer should be awakened from sleep just before the time when the terrors occur most to interrupt the sleep cycle. [1]
Carranza, Christopher. Banishing Night Terrors and Nightmares Kensington Books, 2004.
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