Night Terrors

Night terrors are dramatic but benign episodes that can leave caregivers frightened and confused. In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, we explore the clinical features of night terrors, how to differentiate them from other nocturnal events, and when to consider further evaluation such as polysomnography. We also discuss management strategies that center on sleep hygiene, reassurance, and safety, with a special look at the role of scheduled awakenings and when medication is appropriate.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to:

Describe the typical clinical presentation and age range of children with night terrors.

Differentiate night terrors from other parasomnias and nocturnal seizures based on clinical features and timing.

Discuss non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic management strategies for night terrors, including when to consider polysomnography.

References

Petit D, Touchette E, Tremblay RE, et al. Dyssomnias and parasomnias in early childhood. Pediatrics. 2007;119(5):e1016-e1025.

Morse AM, Kotagal S. Parasomnias of childhood, including sleepwalking. In: Chervin RD, ed. UpToDate. Hoppin AG, deputy ed. Waltham, MA. Accessed November 2025.

Van Horn NL, Street M. Night Terrors. Updated May 29, 2023. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493222/

Transcript

This transcript was provided via use of the Descript AI application