Talking can resolve stressful issues and keep them from building up in the child's mind. At bedtime for toddlers, play quietly with the child or read a pleasant story together. Soothing music may help. A night-light is reassuring to children. Nightmares are often confused with night terrors.
Night terrors occur during deep sleep and usually within the first few hours of bedtime.
A child may suddenly wake up screaming, wide-eyed, terrified, confused, incoherent, disoriented, and hallucinating. The child may run helplessly around and mistake objects and people as dangers. The pupils are dilated. The heart beats fast and sweating occurs. The episode lasts for 10 to 30 minutes before the child falls back to sleep.