Sleep Terrors Questions & Answers

1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. International Classification of Sleep Disorders. 3rd ed. Darien, IL: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 2014. 230-239.

2. Montplaisir, J. Parasomnias. Chokroverty, S. Sleep Disorders Medicine. 4th ed. New York: Springer; 2017. 1087-1091.

3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.

4. Fialho LM, Pinho RS, Lin J, et al. Sleep terrors antecedent is common in adolescents with migraine. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2013 Feb. 71(2):83-6. [Medline].

5. Bruni O, Ferri R, Miano S, Verrillo E. L -5-Hydroxytryptophan treatment of sleep terrors in children. Eur J Pediatr. 2004 Jul. 163(7):402-7. [Medline].

6. Schenck CH, Mahowald MW. Long-term, nightly benzodiazepine treatment of injurious parasomnias and other disorders of disrupted nocturnal sleep in 170 adults. Am J Med. 1996 Mar. 100 (3):333-7. [Medline].

7. Jain SV. Sleep Terrors and Confusional Arousals in Children and Adolescents. Kothare S. Parasomnias. New York: Springer; 2013. 123-136.

8. Guilleminault C, Palombini L, Pelayo R, Chervin RD. Sleepwalking and sleep terrors in prepubertal children: what triggers them?. Pediatrics. 2003 Jan. 111(1):e17-25. [Medline].

9. Ohayon MM, Guilleminault C, Priest RG. Night terrors, sleepwalking, and confusional arousals in the general population: their frequency and relationship to other sleep and mental disorders. J Clin Psychiatry. Apr 1999. 60(4):268-76.

10. Irfan M, Schenck CH, Howell MJ. Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep and Overlap Parasomnias. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2017 Aug. 23 (4, Sleep Neurology):1035-1050. [Medline].

11. Bisulli F, Vignatelli L, Naldi I, et al. Increased frequency of arousal parasomnias in families with nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy: A common mechanism?. Epilepsia. 2010. 51(9):1852-1860.

12. Mindell JA & Owens JA. A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management ofSleep Problems. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2003.

13. Cornaggia CM, Beghi M, Giovannini S, Boni A, Gobbi G. Partial seizures with affective semiology versus pavor nocturnus. Epileptic Disord. 2010 Mar. 12 (1):65-8. [Medline].

14. Weber P, Jüngling F, Datta AN. Differential diagnoses of nocturnal fear and movement paroxysm: a case report. Eur J Pediatr. 2012 Sep. 171 (9):1309-15. [Medline].

15. DiMario FJ Jr, Emery ES 3rd. The natural history of night terrors. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1987 Oct. 26(10):505-11. [Medline].

16. Byars KC, Yolton K, Rausch J, Lanphear B, Beebe DW. Prevalence, patterns, and persistence of sleep problems in the first 3 years of life. Pediatrics. 2012 Feb. 129(2):e276-84. [Medline]. [Full Text].

17. Petit D, Pennestri MH, Paquet J, Desautels A, Zadra A, Vitaro F, et al. Childhood Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors: A Longitudinal Study of Prevalence and Familial Aggregation. JAMA Pediatr. 2015 Jul. 169 (7):653-8. [Medline].

18. Pavlova M. Sleep Terrors and Confusional Arousals in Adults. Kothare S. Parasomnias. New York: Springer; 2013. 115-121.

19. Thünker J, Pietrowsky R. Effectiveness of a manualized imagery rehearsal therapy for patients suffering from nightmare disorders with and without a comorbidity of depression or PTSD. Behav Res Ther. 2012 Sep. 50(9):558-64. [Medline].

20. Petit D, Pennestri MH, Paquet J, Desautels A, Zadra A, Vitaro F, et al. Childhood Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors: A Longitudinal Study of Prevalence and Familial Aggregation. JAMA Pediatr. 2015 Jul. 169 (7):653-8. [Medline].

21. Hublin C, Kaprio J. Genetic aspects and genetic epidemiology of parasomnias. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2003. 7(5):413-421.

22. Pressman MR. Disorders of arousal from sleep and violent behavior: the role of physical contact and proximity. SLEEP. 2007. 30(8):1039-1047.

23. [Guideline] Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, Hall W, Kotagal S, Lloyd RM, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 May 25. [Medline]. [Full Text].

24. Moore M, Allison A, and Rosen CL. A review of pediatric nonrespiratory sleep disorders. Chest. 2006. 130(4):1252-1262.

25. Williams SG, Correa D, Lesage S, Lettieri C. Electroencephalographic hypersynchrony in a child with night terrors. Sleep Breath. 2013 May. 17 (2):465-7. [Medline].

26. Frank NC, Spirito A, Stark L, and Owens-Stively A. The use of scheduled awakenings to eliminate childhood sleep walking. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 1997. 22:345-353.

27. Lask B. Novel and non-toxic treatment for night terrors. BMJ. 1988 Sep 3. 297 (6648):592. [Medline].

28. Ferri R, Zucconi M, Marelli S, Plazzi G, Schenck CH, Ferini-Strambi L. Effects of long-term use of clonazepam on nonrapid eye movement sleep patterns in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. Sleep Med. 2013 May. 14 (5):399-406. [Medline].

29. Nguyen BH, Perusse D, Paquet J, et al. Sleep terrors in children: a prospective study of twins. Pediatrics. 2008. 122(6):e1164-e1167.

30. Lecendreux M, Mayer G, Bassetti C, et al. HLA association in sleepwalking. Mol Psychiatry. 2003. 8:114-7.

31. Pressman, M. Factors that predispose, prime and precipitate NREM parasomnias in adults: clinical and forensic implications. Sleep Med. Rev. 2007. 11:5-30.

32. Carter KA, Hathaway NE, Lettieri CF. Common sleep disorders in children. Am Fam Physician. 2014 Mar 1. 89 (5):368-77. [Medline].

33. Wilson SJ, Lillywhite AR, Potokar JP, Bell CJ, Nutt DJ. Adult night terrors and paroxetine. Lancet. 1997 Jul 19. 350 (9072):185. [Medline].

Eve G Spratt, MD, MSc Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Division of Developmental Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina; Director, Pediatric Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital at Charleston

Eve G Spratt, MD, MSc is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rishi Malla, MD, MSc Fellow in Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

Rishi Malla, MD, MSc is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Caroly Pataki, MD Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Caroly Pataki, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York Academy of Sciences, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Martha Karlstad, MD Chief Resident, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Katherine Harris, MD Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

Katherine Harris, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mark Anderson, MD Lt Col, United States Air Force, 75th Medical Squadron

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Kevin P Connelly, DO Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Emergency Care, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine; Medical Director, Paws for Health Pet Visitation Program of the Richmond SPCA; Pediatric Emergency Physician, Emergency Consultants Inc, Chippenham Medical Center

Kevin P Connelly, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chet Johnson, MD Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, Associate Director, Developmental Pediatrician, Center for Child Health and Development, Shiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas School of Medicine; LEND Director, University of Kansas Medical Center

Chet Johnson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article