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Definition of Sleep Terror Disorder Parent text Preschool

Resource Type

Parent Handouts and Info - Parent

Description

Definition/criteria for Sleep Terror Disorder

Ages

All Ages

Age Groups

Preschool/Kindergarten (3-5)

Web Address

http://resources.childhealthcare.org/cocoon/dtw/parent-text/sleep/sleep_terror_disorder_preschool_pt.html

Languages

English

Sleep Terror Disorder

Sleep Terror Disorder

You said you were concerned about your child's sleep problems. You said that your child often wakes up screaming or crying during the night. When this happens you said your child looks very afraid. You said that your child has some of the following problems when this happens:

  • Heart beating very fast
  • Breathing fast
  • Sweating
  • Very hard to soothe or comfort
  • Doesn't seem to know who you are
  • Did not have an upsetting dream

The next morning your child probably does not remember that s/he woke up screaming during the night. You said that this is starting to cause big problems for your child at home, preschool/daycare/school, or other places. You may be feeling very tired because your child is waking up during the night. Some children with these types of problems have Sleep Terror Disorder.

When your child wakes up at night like this it usually lasts from 1-10 minutes. S/he sits up in bed screaming or crying, with a frightened look on his/her face. Your child does not wake up all the way and goes back to sleep. S/he does not remember much about it the next morning. This usually only happens once per night, but could happen a few times in one night. Your child may not want to be around other children at night because of these problems. S/he may not want to go to sleep-away camp or go to sleepovers.

Boys are more likely to have this problem than girls. For adults, it occurs at the same rate in men and women. Somewhere between 1%-6% of children have sleep terrors. Less than 1% of adults have this problem. It usually starts between the ages of 4 and 12 years. It usually stops on its own some time during the teenage years. Sleep Terror Disorder seems to run in families.

Adapted in part from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (1994) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care (DSM-PC) (1996).

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