Toddler Night Terrors
The short answer
Night terrors are a common and harmless sleep phenomenon where your child appears terrified - screaming, thrashing, or sitting up - but is actually still asleep and will not remember the episode. They are caused by a partial arousal from deep sleep and are not a sign of emotional distress or psychological problems.
By Age
What to expect by age
True night terrors are very rare under 12 months. If your baby is screaming inconsolably during the night, it is more likely due to discomfort from gas, reflux, teething, or illness. If the episodes happen repeatedly around the same time each night and your baby seems impossible to console, mention it to your pediatrician.
Night terrors can begin appearing in this age range, though they are still uncommon. They typically occur in the first third of the night, about 1-3 hours after falling asleep. Your child may scream, thrash, appear to stare through you, and resist being held. The best response is to stay nearby and make sure they are safe, but avoid trying to wake them forcefully.
This is the peak age for night terrors. About 1 in 6 children experience at least one episode. They tend to run in families and are more likely when children are overtired, sleeping in a new environment, or coming down with an illness. Most children outgrow them by age 5-6 without any treatment.
Night terrors become less frequent with age as the brain matures in its ability to transition between sleep stages. If they are still occurring frequently and disrupting the family, your pediatrician may suggest a technique called scheduled awakenings, where you gently rouse your child about 15 minutes before the typical episode time to reset their sleep cycle.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- The episode occurs in the first few hours after falling asleep and lasts 5-15 minutes
- Your child does not remember the episode in the morning
- Your child appears confused during the episode and does not seem to recognize you
- Episodes happen occasionally, especially when your child has missed naps or had a late bedtime
- Your child is otherwise well, happy during the day, and meeting all developmental milestones
- Night terrors occur more than twice a week for several weeks
- Episodes last longer than 30 minutes
- Your child is also sleepwalking during the episodes or leaving their bed, which raises safety concerns
- You notice your child snoring loudly, mouth breathing, or pausing their breathing during sleep, which could suggest obstructive sleep apnea contributing to night terrors
- Your child has a seizure-like episode with rhythmic jerking, stiffening, or eye rolling that differs from typical thrashing
- Your child is difficult to rouse after the episode ends and seems abnormally confused or weak during the day
- Episodes begin after a head injury
Sources
Related Resources
Related Sleep Concerns
Baby Only Napping 30 Minutes
Short naps of 30-45 minutes are extremely common in babies under 6 months. Your baby is waking at the end of a single sleep cycle and has not yet learned to link cycles together during the day. This is developmentally normal and typically improves on its own between 5-7 months as the brain matures.
Baby Fighting Sleep
A baby who fights sleep is usually either overtired, undertired, or going through a developmental leap. It can feel exhausting, but it is very common and does not mean anything is wrong. Adjusting wake windows and creating a calming pre-sleep routine are the most effective strategies.
My Baby Grinds Teeth While Sleeping
Teeth grinding (bruxism) is surprisingly common in babies and toddlers, affecting up to 30% of children. It often begins when babies first get teeth and may continue through early childhood. While the sound can be unsettling, occasional grinding is usually harmless and most children outgrow it by age 6. It may be related to teething discomfort, jaw development, or simply exploring their new teeth.
My Baby Moans in Their Sleep
Moaning, groaning, and grunting during sleep are extremely common in babies and are almost always harmless. Babies spend a large proportion of their sleep in active (REM) sleep, during which they naturally vocalize, twitch, and make facial expressions. These sounds typically decrease as your baby's nervous system matures over the first few months.
My Baby Naps Too Much
How much daytime sleep is "too much" depends heavily on your baby's age. Newborns naturally nap frequently and for long stretches, while older babies and toddlers gradually consolidate daytime sleep into fewer, shorter naps. Excessive daytime napping becomes a concern mainly if it consistently interferes with nighttime sleep or if it signals an underlying issue like illness.
Baby Needs Rocking to Sleep
Rocking your baby to sleep is a perfectly natural and loving way to help them drift off. It is not a bad habit - it is responsive parenting. If rocking is working for your family, there is no need to change anything. If you would like your baby to learn to fall asleep with less help, gentle, gradual approaches work best.