Night terrors can frighten parents, but they are harmless for the child and are a normal part of sleep. Usually the child’s eyes are wide open, but are staring and not focused. The terror may last for several minutes, or sometimes up to half an hour or more. Night terrorsĬhildren with night terrors usually wake within the first few hours of going to sleep and scream or call out. Read more about sleepwalking in children. may be confused when they first wake up.can’t remember the episode the next day.Other children may try to eat, drink or use the toilet while asleep. Some children have only mild episodes and may only sit up in bed, whereas some get out of bed, walk up and down stairs or even try to leave the house. Sleepwalking can be more likely if your child is overtired, has a high temperature or is feeling stressed or anxious. There is no obvious cause of sleepwalking but it can run in families. Sleepwalking is fairly common in children aged 2 years to the early teens. If your child has insomnia a lot, see your child’s doctor. Occasionally, insomnia can be a symptom of depression, an anxiety disorder or hyperactivity. Make sure your child feels safe at night and check there is not too much noise or light in their room (though they should get plenty of natural light during the day). Usually, insomnia can be addressed by following an improved sleep routine for 2 weeks.Ī good sleep routine includes regular sleep and wake times and encouraging your child to relax before bed with a bath and a story. For parents, insomnia can cause problems if their child is getting up a lot at night. However, it can cause difficulties for the child if they are tired and irritable the next day. Insomnia in children is not usually a serious problem. If it is a regular problem, they may have insomnia. Most children go to sleep within 20 minutes of being quiet in bed.īut some children regularly have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or not going back to sleep if they wake. The common sleep problems children may experience are: These may need special attention and sometimes treatment by a healthcare professional. However, sometimes children develop sleep problems.
You might need to adjust your expectation of what is normal for your child.
Often you can fix this by ensuring they have a good bedtime routine and sleep environment, with healthy eating, or ensuring they do enough physical activity. Good sleep habits mean they will be able to fall asleep and stay asleep.Īll children occasionally have problems falling asleep or staying asleep.