Our experience...

I can't really offer advice on night terrors, but my family and I have certainly experienced a broad spectrum of sleep difficulties! For us, Sleep (with a capital S) has always been the most troublesome parenting issue. After reading the description Adrienne posted, what we've been experiencing with Jacob definitely sounds like night terrors. They must have started last year sometime when Jacob was 2+. In the first half of the night at some point Jacob starts crying and moaning (I should mention that he sleeps in bed with Zach and I). We try to comfort him, hold him, ask him what's wrong, but he just cries and cries and tries to get away from us. Eventually he settles down, but not without a lot of stress and aggravation. And he never remembers it the next day.

When they first started happening I assumed it was the feared 'night terrors', but as Jacob got older and could talk about what was happening to him he would sometimes complain of pain on the bottom of his feet or in calves. We would have to rub them (still do) for as long as it would take to go away. You can actually feel these huge cramps in his feet. We thought to make sure Jacob was hydrated and eating enough bananas. I took Jacob to see his doctor, found out he's slightly anemic and began iron supplements, but that didn't really help the problem. I finally had to take him back a couple months ago because it was getting really bad. At this point he was also having a wretched time falling asleep, kicking his legs around and just generally thrashing about (I e-mailed the MOMS Club then because I was at my whits end). I educated myself about Restless Leg Syndrome before seeing the doctor and with that information we decided that Jacob most likely has restless leg.

What we ended up doing after that last visit to the doctor, and a ton of my own research, is this: I gave Jacob melatonin (hormone produced, under normal circumstances, by the pineal gland in the abscence of light) consistently for almost a month - and I was taking it along with him so I would know the effect it had. Usually a bath before bed, but not always. Then a book or two read by Daddy, followed by a lavender massage from Mommy. In the beginning Jacob would sometimes fall asleep during the lavender massage, so relaxed was he. This stuff really helped take the edge off of Jacob's symptoms, and lessened the frequency with which he suffers them, but didn't eliminate them totally.

I still give Jacob melatonin at times when I can tell he's going to have trouble falling asleep, but I've stopped giving it to him every night because I can't find any research on melatonin use in children that was done long-term. Before starting the melatonin I read up on some original research to figure out what I was doing. Below are the little notes that I'd copied from a one of the websites, but I can't remember which one it came from. I have to say though, that after taking it myself and reading up a little more, I think anymore than 2.5 is unnecessary for a child Jacob's age and size. And I can attest that is really helps me fall asleep naturally, as opposed to being knocked out by diphenhydramine or a prescription-strength sleep aid.

Begin at 2.5mg, increasing in 2.5 increments with three days in between. Administer 30-60 minutes before bed.

Purchase only synthetic melatonin, rather than the bovine-derived product, in order to avoid potential exposure to infectious agents.

A voluntary verification program has been developed by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to provide consumers with information on the quality of dietary supplements such as melatonin.

The "USP verified" symbol on these products, while not a guarantee of efficacy or safety, indicates compliance with accepted manufacturing practices and standardization of contents.

For the lavender rub I use just a couple drops of pure lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil (any kind of vegetable, nut or seed oil) to dilute the highly concentrated lavender. The massage part came from my own intuition that it would help to sooth Jacob's limbs and relax them, so I just go with it and give his little body a rub down wherever I sense he needs it. I should also add that someone recommended chiropractic care to me, and I did have Jacob go one time when my mom already had an appointment. I think it helped a little, but I'd have to take him back again to really know.

Well, I know that's kind of off the immediate topic, but related in a way. I don't know, as I write this I'm wondering if Jacob could have some odd mix of restless leg and night terrors.

Your Child's Bad Dreams

Any advice on what to do when your child has a bad dream? Sleep researcher Richard Ferber says that although nightmares occur during sleep, they reflect the emotional conflicts that take place during the day. For a young child, this could be separation from you, potty-training or recently getting lost in a store. He also says that nightmares are a normal part of growing up and will usually decrease in frequency by age 5 or 6. Of course, this is little comfort to those of us dealing with 2 and 3 year olds who frequently wake up crying in the middle of the night!
There is a difference between nightmares and "night terrors". Nightmares occur in the second half of the night when deep REM sleep occurs. The child wakes after the dream is over, is aware of and comforted by your presence and may have a hard time going back to sleep. Night terrors usually occur 1 to 4 hours after falling asleep. The child screams and thrashes while it is occuring, is not aware of your presence and is difficult to comfort. Although the child is obviously scared and upset, he may resist you. Afterwards though, he is calm and goes back to sleep.
I remember my brother having terrible nightmares. My mother put some water in a spray bottle and called it "Magic Monsters-go-away Potion". Everynight before bed, they would spray it around the house, especially his room and closet. Then he would keep it by his bed all night just in case. This actually worked! It did wonders for the house plants too.
So ladies...any other suggestions for the desparate and tired among us? Any little thing might help. Thanks Moms!