When to Seek Medical Care

Sleep disruption is parents' most frequent concern during the first years of a child's life. Half of all children develop a disrupted sleep pattern serious enough to warrant physician assistance.  

• In children younger than 3½ years, peak frequency of night terrors is at least 1 episode per week.
  
  
• Among older children, peak frequency of night terrors is 1-2 episodes per month.  

If your child seems to be experiencing night terrors, an evaluation by the child's pediatrician may be useful. During this evaluation, the pediatrician may also be able to exclude other possible disorders that might cause night terrors.