Sleepless in Ohio
Zane used to cry out in the night, pretty benign kid stuff and easily consoled. Sometimes it was fairly harsh and a bit unnerving. Although he appeared awake he wasn't and attempts to console him were useless. Over time we found that just laying him back down in the bed was usually all that was necessary and he would quickly fall back into a deep slumber with no morning recollection of the dream or awakening. I believe the correct term is night terrors.
For the life of me, I don't know why we need new names for all of the stuff I experienced as a kid. Why terror? Who decided that night terrors was a more appropriate description? It's a nightmare or a bad dream, that's it.
Well, Zane has pretty much resolved his issues with the screaming out in the night. Oh, there's still the oft occasion he'll end up in our bed because he says he's scared or can't sleep. But he's not screaming to get there. I believe he just wakes up in the middle of the night and starts to let his mind wander. Then he gets scared and decides someone needs to know about it. Rather than wake his sisters, he wakes me. I'm so lucky.
Last night, though, Zander let out the most horrific scream I believe I have ever heard. He doesn't scream. Don't get me wrong, he's loud. He yells. Quite a bit. But he doesn't really scream. Not like the blood curdling scream of fear he let out last night. It was chilling. Maura and I raced to his room to find him sitting straight up in his bed screaming his little head off. I've no idea what set him off. But something wasn't right and he sure as hell was afraid.
It was the kind of scream that really shakes a person. So much so that I actually checked out the bedrooms and closets. Tentatively, I made my way down the dimly lit hallway and checked on each child. Each one sleeping soundly, oblivious to the screams of Zander and the fears that were now keeping me awake.
Last night, I kept vigil. Maybe now I realize why it's called terror. Zander scared the shit out of me.
Today, I can't get enough caffeine. And Zander is as happy as a clam.
I need a nap!
For the life of me, I don't know why we need new names for all of the stuff I experienced as a kid. Why terror? Who decided that night terrors was a more appropriate description? It's a nightmare or a bad dream, that's it.
Well, Zane has pretty much resolved his issues with the screaming out in the night. Oh, there's still the oft occasion he'll end up in our bed because he says he's scared or can't sleep. But he's not screaming to get there. I believe he just wakes up in the middle of the night and starts to let his mind wander. Then he gets scared and decides someone needs to know about it. Rather than wake his sisters, he wakes me. I'm so lucky.
Last night, though, Zander let out the most horrific scream I believe I have ever heard. He doesn't scream. Don't get me wrong, he's loud. He yells. Quite a bit. But he doesn't really scream. Not like the blood curdling scream of fear he let out last night. It was chilling. Maura and I raced to his room to find him sitting straight up in his bed screaming his little head off. I've no idea what set him off. But something wasn't right and he sure as hell was afraid.
It was the kind of scream that really shakes a person. So much so that I actually checked out the bedrooms and closets. Tentatively, I made my way down the dimly lit hallway and checked on each child. Each one sleeping soundly, oblivious to the screams of Zander and the fears that were now keeping me awake.
Last night, I kept vigil. Maybe now I realize why it's called terror. Zander scared the shit out of me.
Today, I can't get enough caffeine. And Zander is as happy as a clam.
I need a nap!
Posted by Zoe's Dad at Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:23 PM and is filed under keeping vigil,bad dreams,the scream,night terrors,naps 
I would soil myself if I heard a scream in the night... unless it was, well, never mind.
I may have spilled a bit of bladder contents. It was scary!
A scream like that would certainly have the same affect on me. I hope to never hear it, but that's highly unlikely.
I suppose it's a right of pasage. It's a pretty tough test!
While we don't have any firsthand experience in this house with night terrors, I can relate to the kid keeping us up all night (lately because apparently 3 am seems a good time to him to play or "go outside"). He finally falls asleep just about the time we have to get up. He's all happy when he wakes up while the husband and I drag our butts around like zombies the rest of the day. I hate that.
BTW, not that you asked, but night terrors are not actually associated with a dream or nightmare, it is just a response by the central nervous system which can become over-aroused in young kids whose systems are not fully developed. It happens usually about 2 -3 hours after falling asleep during the transition from one sleep cycle to the next. Since there are no dreams or images associated with the screaming or terror response, there is typically no memory of it in the morning. For the child, that is. Obviously, you demonstrate the memory is quite vivid for the parent.
Hope tonight provides for restorative sleep!
I'm not so sure I could handle a midnight wanderer.
And thanks for the 411 on the terrors. Makes sense.
Boy, I haven't had to deal with that for years! But thanks for bringing back the memories.
Now I have a teenager who sleep talks quite a bit, but it's mostly mumbling and it's always nonsense.
See, Jeff that's how we help each other. You prepare me for the future with your stories and I help you recall the past with mine.
The boy used to have night "terrors" when he was 4 - 6; that combined with growing pains made my nights nervewracking at times.
For some reason, whenever either kid gets up in the middle of the night, even if it's to get a drink of water, it's ALWAYS me they wake up. Even just to say, 'Mom, I'm awake' at 3:00 AM.
What's up with that?
It's not right. I feel your pain.
That sounds awful, I don't blame you for checking the closets and keeping vigil. Hopefully it won't be a common occurrence!
Zane grew out of it. I hope Zander's phase doesn't last long.
Yikes. I can relate. Dec had night terrors once a few months ago... just hysterical, inconsolable screams that went on and on for no discernible reason. He couldn't hear me or snap out of it. It was chilling! It turned out to be the combo of over-stimulation and not enough sleep, but man, that was rough.
It really is pretty freaky. Zane would get worse whenever we tried to wake him. That's when we figured out just lay him back down without saying anything and he would quit.
I've been there. It's amazing how quickly your heart can reach that 'beating to get out of your chest' feeling.
What really sucked is that he went right back to sleep--on my pillow--on my side of the bed and proceeded to kick me all night long, as I lay there listening for any strange sounds.
Man, that's rough.
You said a mouthful there!
I hope that doesn't keep up. It would freak me out too.
So far so good.
I had hoped to hear this sound of terror tonight from Kyle; I had planned to scare the crap out of him (see my post). However, I did not get around to it, and now it's too late. Maybe tomorrow...
You are a cruel woman! You've definitely got to catch that on video.