What is a "sleep terror"?

What is a "sleep terror"?

Gary Feldman (Medical Director, Stramski Disorders Center, Miller Children's Hospital ) gives expert video advice on: What is "sleepwalking"?; What is the most important thing to know about sleepwalking? and more...

Sleep terror occurs in children usually from about four years up. These children tend to be terrified when they have these 'sleep terrors' or parasomnias: their eyes are wide open, they're maybe sweating, their heart is going very fast - they look absolutely terrified. Yet if you talk to them during a sleep terror, they don't respond. Some parents ask, "How do I know whether this sleep terror that this child is having is not a nightmare?" The difference is that with parasomnias, there is no recall. If a child has a nightmare, they will recall that they had a nightmare the previous night, but if it's a sleep terror, there's no recollection. You're stuck in a zone with parasomnias and there is no recall.