L.W. asks from Yonkers, NY on February 28, 2011
Night Terrors - Yonkers,NY
My 2 year old has been having night terrors about once a week for the past 3 weeks. They always seem to coincide with a visit to my mothers house. He normally does not nap when we visit my mom because he is so excited to see his grandparents, but there are other days he doesn't nap and he is fine at night. My mother has a cat and I think my son might be allergic to it. My question is this: Does anyone have experience with night terrors triggered by allergies? It is the only thing I can think of that would be triggering it because he is normally fine the rest of the week when we do not go visit my mom.
So What Happened?™
No doubt they are night terrors. Shooting out of bed, screaming to the point of near vomiting, and about 10-15 min later, passing back out into a peaceful sleep with zero recollection of a nightmare. As for the cat, he really doesn't interact too ,much with it, because it hides most of the time we are visiting. Maybe it is "over stimulation" because he is very excited to see his grandparents.
More Answers
A.C. answers from Washington DC on February 28, 2011
As someone else asked, are you sure they're night terrors? my oldest got them and it was more than a little freaky to be honest with you LOL
If they are night terrors I'd say it has more to do with the disruption of his normal schedule than due to allergies to the cat. Night terrors are more often attributed to stress. While the visit may be fun and exciting and all that is good that's still a type of stress on the body and mind.
Maybe try to get him to at least take a quiet time lay down (even if he won't sleep), while he's at your moms. It might calm him down enough for the rest of the day to get him through the night without the terrors.
3 moms found this helpful
A.S. answers from Detroit on February 28, 2011
Night terrors are likely because he's overtired from not napping.
My ex and our daughter has them when they're overtired and finally go to bed.
2 moms found this helpful
S.B. answers from Kansas City on February 28, 2011
The only way the allergies could be helping add to the occurrence of the Night Terror is if it is causing a 'sleep apnea' type episode where he is so stuffed up he is getting even less sleep than usual. That on top of the change in schedule are probably a bad combination. At least the only one suffering from the night terrors are the adults in the household that he is waking up - but I know how scary they are.
I.H. answers from Boston on February 28, 2011
Not sure if you want to hear this but follow your instincts and don't let your kid go there for awhile. Have your parents visit instead and keep the visits short!
Also, make sure that nothing else is going on while he's there. Make sure there's no other kids or anyone/anything else bothering him when he is out of your sight--another reason to keep him under your sights and have them come over your house instead!
J.U. answers from Norfolk on February 28, 2011
That is intriguing. My daughter had night terrier really bad and has no allergies.
But how is you child with the cat, does he run up and want to play with it or does he try to avoid the cat?
Is the cat mean or nice to him?
Is it the only time he ever sees any kind of pet?
I would take him to a pet store to test your theory...sounds kinda mean in a way but at least you will know.
K.P. answers from New York on February 28, 2011
Nigh terrors are neurological and not related to allergies. Are you sure that they are night terrors? It is entirely possible that your son is going to bed highly congested and waking-up in the middle of the night.
Night terrors are a result of the brain "firing" throughout the night. A child who experiences night terrors will wake up screaming and will be unable to tell you why they are scared and will have no recollection of the episode b/c the "terrors" are not "story like", but elicit the same body response.
He could also be having very bad dreams about the cat... just a thought.
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