Patient's question:
I often wake up crying for no reason, don't want to change diapers, and think the baby will be fine. When sleeping on their stomach, they wake up easily when flipped over and don't sleep soundly. They keep jumping and shaking, and I'm wondering how to assist them: The baby keeps crying when taking naps...Doctor's answer:
Sleepwalking (night terrors) refers to a condition where children cannot maintain continuous deep sleep throughout the night, often waking up crying at night, or even playing intermittently. When a child experiences night terrors, it is important to rule out other medical conditions that may cause sleep disturbances, nighttime crying, or difficulty falling asleep, such as abdominal pain or upper respiratory infections.Recommendations:
Sleep disorders caused by these conditions usually last only a few days and rarely persist for multiple days, accompanied by clear physical discomfort. The primary comprehensive prevention and treatment measures for children's night terrors include:
(1) Supportive psychological therapy
- Based on a thorough understanding of the medical history and a careful physical examination, identify potential causes and rule out other diseases.
- Parents should use comforting, reassuring, and guiding methods to completely alleviate the child's anxiety and depressive mood.
- Properly resolve family conflicts and stressful life events, avoiding the spread of family tensions to the child.
(2) Stable parenting style
- Develop good deep sleep habits by establishing a regular sleep routine and creating a conducive sleep environment for the child.
- Avoid coaxing, holding, or immediately responding to the child's crying with rocking, patting, or changing diapers.
(3) Behavioral therapy
① Parents should actively consult with a psychologist for guidance and support.
② The fading method is often effective: when the child cries at night, avoid immediate intervention; consciously ignore them to teach them to fall asleep independently.
③ Accurately record the treatment process and outcomes.
④ Periodically review and adjust the treatment plan until satisfactory results are achieved.
(4) Medication treatment
- Night terrors are not true "insomnia," and medication is generally unnecessary.
- For severe cases, short-term medication treatment under a doctor's guidance may be considered.