My DD used to have them when she was younger. Seems to coincide with a coupld od things - developmental plus food she was eating. The few times the night terrors occured she had eaten BBQ Sakatas - so I am tipping some sort of preservative may have set her off. Once I stopped her eating them, she was fine. I also would encourage you not to try to wake them - this only prolonged our DD settling back to sleep. We used to just follow her around the house to make sure she was safe but stopped trying to get her back to sleep or wake her up. GL
I have been doing NTs since DD was 18months old....yay me. She stopped and now DS gets them. DD sleep walked too. Often i'd find her in the wardrobe or a dark corner screaming.
The GP will generally only do something if there are lots a night (we've had up to 4-5 a night in a bad patch) every night. That's when they get sedatives and sleep clinics involved.
It's their brain transitioning (albeit badly) from one cycle to the next. There are lots of theories about it, many conflicting. I've tried diet, removing chemicals from the home, keeping the same routine, Brauers, Bach flower remedies etc etc.
Often the follow a weaning on and weaning off pattern. DD would have maybe a few days without one and then over about 6 weeks we'd build up to every night and then multiple times a night and then wean off in the same pattern.
The worst ones were when someone looking after her (DH usually cos he didn't deal with them often) would try and wake her...then they'd have to propensity to go for hours.
Many kids don't like to be touched either. Their brain is already stimulated so touch can send them over the edge.
I know ~Sarah~ had success with resetting the sleep cycle by waking her little guy in the few minutes before he regularly had one and either taking him to the loo or offering a drink, but that didn't work for us. DD is such a heavy sleeper waking her once she's asleep is really hard.
Overtiredness is absolutely a causative factor here. As is a later than normal bedtime.
Hope you don't get a long stint chick. I can totally sympathise with it being the pits.
My DD2 had them up until about 20 months. The cause every time was her being overtired. It was horrible to watch but waking her up made it worse. I hope it gets better for you soon
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