Your child may be difficult to wake and, on awakening, he or she usually won't remember the night terror. Nightmares and night terrors don't happen as much as children get older. Often, nightmares and night terrors stop completely when your child is a teenager. Some people, especially people who are imaginative and creative, may keep having nightmares when they are adults. Nightmares and night terrors in children are usually not caused by mental or physical illness.
Nightmares often happen after a stressful physical or emotional event.
In the first six months after the event, a child might have nightmares while he or she gets used to what happened in the event. If nightmares keep happening and disturb your child's sleep, they can affect your child's ability to function during the day. Talk with your doctor about whether treatment will help your child. Night terrors and sleepwalking require that you protect your child during sleep. Talk with your doctor if your child ever gets hurt while sleeping.