Toddler night terrors/hallucinations

[bnc]

Hi All

Just seeing if anyone has experienced this and if there's a simple remedy!

My 3 year old niece had screaming hallucinations about an hour ago. She was seeing spiders crawling on her.

She's had a cold and chesty cough for a week or so and now has a high temperature and my sister is sitting in A&E with her.

It was quite frightening to see.
I'm wide awake, waiting for them to come home.

 

[mobilemartine]

Aww didn't want to read and run poor little mite my son has had this it's horrible ;( I just took him out of the room and soothed him try to get there temperature down even cold wet flannels helps hope she's ok poor little mite take care x

 

[nicole333]

It's likely the high temp is causing them, so the only thing would be to try and bring it down and manage it.

 

[Wellyb]

Both my daughters suffered from night terrors, they are quite frightening but they do grow out of them! I agree that this episode may well have been brought in by the high temp. Good luck

 

[jeniaaa]

My niece who is 7 gets them all the time shes had them from about 3,she woke up the other day saying she had ants on her and that there was insects in the room,she also kicks and screams in her sleep to, it is terrifying when you watch it but i just try to wake her and calm her down.

 

[Elaine143a]

My youngest had a night terror just the once. It was absolutely terrifying - like something from the Exorcist - rolling eyes, spitting, screaming, babbling, violent, non-consolable, body spasms, aggressive, and not rousable. :evil:

When I spoke with health visitor about it, she stated that night terrors and nightmares are very different. During a night terror the symptoms are as I can only describe as above (Exorcist) and the child does not wake, and does not remember anything about it, so it has no effect on them (even tho the parent thinks their child has become possessed - that's the only way I can describe the way my son seemed to be ).

He slept through the whole thing, woke up as normal in the morning, and knew / remembered nothing.

With nightmares, the child may wake, sometimes be terrified etc and will probably remember something about it in the morning.

 

[bnc]

Thanks everyone.

They got home at 4am. She has a chest infection and has been prescribed antibiotics. Seems to be a recurring theme as soon as the weather's a bit cold and damp.

I do remember hallucinating when I was ill as a child, but this was something else! It was nice to see her being her chirpy self when they got back. Not sure if she remembers anything.

 

[bnc]

Elaine, I think we were posting at the same time.

I was going to say she went all Emily! I've never heard her scream like that and her eyes were glazed.

 

[Josie..]

My daughter is five and she suffered terribly for a year with night terrors. I don't think you could get them confused with nightmares the first time she had one I was on the phone to the paramedics! They are so frightening. If they happen again and again usually they happen at a similar time with kacey around 1am so every night at 12-12.30 I would wake her up for a little drink and a cwtch it really does help I had numerous doctors appts and this was the best advice they gave me as its before they go into the deepest part of their sleeping pattern. The worst thing you can do is try and disturb them as they are still fast asleep even sat up/ waking/ eyes open. The best thing to do is let them calm down by just talking trying to sooth them. She still suffers rarely with them usually when she's out of routine although they stopped when we moved house, very strange!
Hope that she finds a easy way to resolve it, kids even find ways to keep you on your toes when they're sleeping lol x

 

[thinkpink2008]

My son used to and we discovered it was down to his curtains! He had Thomas ones with round faces all over and apparently it can 'freak' the child out waking to see all these eyes! We swooped them and haven't had one since but I have to agree temperature can have. Big impact on hallucinations x

 

[Pedifan]

When I was young I used to be exactly like that, even now as an adult if I am really ill and have a very high temp it happens.

 

[Tomme]

If I get high temperatures I hallucinate and have no memory of them usually, although if reminded what I did I can remember it quite well. Iv walked and been almost with it looking but no idea what I'm doing.
If it was because of infection then she shouldn't have the same until ill again xoxo

 

[bnc]

My daughter is five and she suffered terribly for a year with night terrors. I don't think you could get them confused with nightmares the first time she had one I was on the phone to the paramedics! They are so frightening. If they happen again and again usually they happen at a similar time with kacey around 1am so every night at 12-12.30 I would wake her up for a little drink and a cwtch it really does help I had numerous doctors appts and this was the best advice they gave me as its before they go into the deepest part of their sleeping pattern. The worst thing you can do is try and disturb them as they are still fast asleep even sat up/ waking/ eyes open. The best thing to do is let them calm down by just talking trying to sooth them. She still suffers rarely with them usually when she's out of routine although they stopped when we moved house, very strange!
Hope that she finds a easy way to resolve it, kids even find ways to keep you on your toes when they're sleeping lol x

She has always suffered with colds and chest infections and has had mild hallucinations, but it's never made her this delirious before.

I think my sister was becoming more distressed, because every time she thought she'd calmed my niece, she would scream out again. I had to take her away from my sister, pretend to throw the spiders away and show that they weren't there, which helped.

She'd had a pretty busy few days before this happened, because it was her birthday the day it happened! Lots of parties. And they're off on holiday in a couple of days! She's a lot better now, but yes, they do keep you on your toes!

I'll pass your suggestions on to my sister. Anything's worth a try!

Thank you, all. This might be the first time I've asked for non industry advice (I think), which felt a bit strange, but also felt like the obvious thing to do!

This really is an amazing staff room!