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10 Year Old Son-I'm Guessing These Are Sleep Terrors...

by S. Gutierrez
(Lake Stevens, WA, USA)

This happens quite frequently, my son will pound on my door at night in a panick. We had to install an extra lock on the door because when he is like this, he is completely out of it and will just unlock my door and walk in (which regularly he would NEVER do).


Sometimes he won't talk, just stands there staring at nothing, other times he will just hug me and cry uncontrollably, and other times he is angry.

I know he is having some sort of episode though, because he never remembers doing it. He will be having a meltdown, be scared or panicked, then 20 minutes later, as I'm sitting on his bed in the middle of the night trying to figure out what to do, he will ask me why I'm in his room. He will be totally oblivious to what has just happened. Other times he says he is scared, i can feel his heart pounding, but he doesn't know why, and cant tell me anything else.

He takes concerta and a small dose of methylphenindate in the afternoon, then melatonin at night (otherwise he cant sleep). I've read that stimulants can cause this as well.. I have taken him to a psychiatrist and voiced my concern, but didn't get anywhere with it. I'm frustrated, I just want to help him, this is hard for both of us.

Comments for 10 Year Old Son-I'm Guessing These Are Sleep Terrors...

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Nov 03, 2013
 wow NEW
by: Anonymous

I am 12 and this happens to me a lot.
you are not alone.
Jun 17, 2015
 My 11 year old has here every night NEW
by: Anonymous

She doesn't remember them either...I feel so bad for her, but also for my husband who often gets up 3 times a night to calm her.

Have you consulted anyone yet? I don't know where to start. Is your son high strung during the day, or does he have any other condition that could be related? I ask because my daughter is a very happy, calm kid externally but she is autistic. I see her bite her fingernails, pick scabs, etc even though she doesn't verbalize any of her fears.

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