Witnessing a night terror can be more traumatic for a parent
than it is for the child involved. You may hear a blood curdling
scream and find your child sitting bolt upright in bed. He may
stare right at you with wide open eyes, yet seem not to see you.
In the morning, he won't be able to remember his night terror as
he might have remembered a nightmare. Night terrors affect a
very small percentage (one to four percent) of children and
young adolescents. They tend to happen earlier in the night than
nightmares. Night terrors are most often triggered by sleep
deprivation—a missed nap or delayed bedtime, for example. Even
though your child appears to be awake during a night terror
episode, he is probably still asleep. "You won't be able to
awaken your child, so don't try to," advises Dr. Barton Schmitt,
MD, professor of Pediatrics at The Children's Hospital in
Denver, Colorado, and author of the book Your Child's Health.
"Turn on the light so that your child is less confused by
shadows. Make soothing comments s