Prescribe medications only for severe symptoms that affect waking behavior such as school performance and peer or family relations. Administer medications only as a temporary treatment. Tricyclic antidepressants - Decrease deep delta sleep and decrease arousal between sleep stages. Stopped disorder in limited studies when administered at bedtime for 8-wk. Frequent contact with the family to provide support and reassurance helps alleviate their anxieties.
Episodes usually are short-lived but occur over several weeks.
Nearly all children outgrow night terrors by adolescence. Examine the adequacy of the child's sleep, and educate parents about consistent bedtime routines. Eliminating all potential sources of sleep disturbance and maintaining a consistent wake-up time also are important. Failure to educate the parents adequately about the benign nature of the problem and its final outcome may cause excessive parental anxiety that could prompt parents to search for an alternative cure. The pharmacologic treatment of sleep disorders.