Overview
During night terrors a child may scream, thrash, and seem scared but can't be comforted and won't remember it.
Sleep loss, fever, and stress make episodes more likely.
Symptoms
Common signs:
- Sleepwalking or night terrors
- Sleepwalking, sleep talking, or night terrors
Less common
- Sleep talking
When to get medical care
Call 911This isn't an emergency by itself. Call 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting.
Get care todayInjury during an episode, or jerking movements that look like a seizure.
See a doctor soonFrequent episodes, starting in adulthood, or loud snoring.
Causes
Immature sleep patterns, sleep loss, and genes.
Does it spread or run in families?
- It isn't contagious. You can't catch it from someone else.
- It can run in families. Tell your doctor if a parent, brother, or sister has it.
Who is more likely to get it
- Children
- Family history
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on the pattern.
Questions you may be asked
- Snoring, sleep schedule
Tests
Tests, if needed:
- Sleep study: If frequent or unusual.
Treatment
Focus on safety and sleep.
Self-care
- Lock doors and windows, use gates on stairs
- Keep a regular bedtime and enough sleep
- Gently guide a sleepwalker back to bed without waking them
- If episodes happen at the same time, gently wake 15 minutes before
Prevention
To lower episodes:
- Enough sleep
Which doctor treats this
- Start with your primary care provider (family doctor or internist).
- They may send you to a sleep medicine specialist.
Back to school, work, or sports
- Most people keep up normal school and work. Rest when you need to.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- If you're pregnant or planning to be, tell your prenatal provider about this condition.
- Don't start or stop any medicine on your own. Some are safe in pregnancy and some need to be changed.
- Ask before taking any pain reliever. The FDA advises avoiding ibuprofen and naproxen after 20 weeks unless your doctor says to.
- Breastfeeding: Most medicines are fine, but ask. The NIH LactMed database lists what's known about each one.
Outlook
Most children outgrow it by the teen years.
Research studies
Research studies test new ways to find and treat health problems. Some are looking for volunteers. Talk with your doctor before joining one.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for studies on Sleepwalking and night terrors
Sources
Last updated 2026-11-12.