A night terror is a disorder characterized by the child’s sudden and unconscious agitation. It usually affects children that are under 15 years of age and generally occurs at the beginning of the night, although it may also manifest itself during the phase of deep sleep. These disorders occur regularly and the child does not remember them in the morning. Moreover, the night terror is considered to be a paroxysmal disorder, that is to say, the disease may continue into adolescence if left untreated and not properly cared for.
There is a noticeable difference between night terrors and nightmares. Indeed, the latter usually occur towards the end of the night or during REM sleep, and they result in emotions and dreams. On the other hand, although the night terror can be similar to sleep paralysis, it often leads to hallucinations, anxiety and fear during the night.
Everything starts with a cry of panic prompted by the child in the middle of the night. Staring into the void, the child is terrified, in tears and is prone to gestures of terror. Even though the parents may try to reassure him or her, this has no effect on the child since he or she does not recognize them and continues to utter incomprehensible and incoherent sentences. Moreover, breathing quickens, the face turns red or pale and the child becomes very restless. The fit lasts about 20 minutes and then the child falls back asleep. In the morning, the child will have absolutely no memory of the events that occurred during the night.
Homoeopathy is an effective and easy method to cure the child’s night terrors. Stramonium is one of the indicated remedies, and a a few granules of it should be administered before bedtime to allow the subject to have a good night’s sleep. Arsenic album is also an effective remedy against nocturnal agitation and anxiety, as is also the case of Coffea. Furthermore, established sleep schedules should be implemented to help the child fall asleep, and both bedtime and nap time should be thoroughly regulated. It is best not to let children watch TV before bed to avoid any kind of excitement.
At the onset of these symptoms, it is recommended to immediately treat the pathology with the help of homoeopathic remedies. If they do not yield results and the symptoms persist when the subject is asleep, a visit to the paediatrician or neurologist is recommended. Moreover, if the duration of an attack is excessively long, about half an hour or more, the child must be provided with medical attention.
Good to know: Homoeopathy remains a method of choice to treat the symptoms of night terrors. Indeed, remedies such as Arsenicum album or Stramonium act effectively against the causes of this disease, while simultaneously providing relief to the child.
