What Causes Night Terrors in Adults?

Nocturnal panic disorder is a sleep disorder commonly found in children. It is mainly a series of extreme fear and panic movements that occur repeatedly during nighttime sleep. It is accompanied by intense language, motor forms, and high levels of autonomic nervous system excitement. Stages 3 to 4 of eye sleep. More common in children, the onset gradually stops with age, and can even continue into adulthood.

Nocturnal panic disorder is a sleep disorder commonly found in children. It is mainly a series of extreme fear and panic movements that occur repeatedly during nighttime sleep. It is accompanied by intense language, motor forms, and high levels of autonomic nervous system excitement. Stages 3 to 4 of eye sleep. More common in children, the onset gradually stops with age, and can even continue into adulthood.

Chinese name

Night terrors in children

Foreign name

nyctophobia

Department

Pediatrics

Night terrors in children I. Causes and common diseases:

The exact etiology is unclear. Genetic, developmental, organic, and psychological factors may play a role in the pathogenesis. Some patients have a positive family history.

Night terrors in children 2. Differential diagnosis:

(1) Clinical manifestations:

1. Repeatedly screaming and waking up from sleep, accompanied by intense anxiety, physical movement and hyperactive autonomic function (such as tachycardia, shortness of breath and sweating, etc.)

2. Usually occurs in a short time after sleep at night, each attack lasts 1 to 10 minutes.

3. Lack of response to other people's attempts to calm night terrors, and it is almost always accompanied by disorientation and continuous movement for at least a few minutes.

4. Forgetting afterwards, even if you can remember, it is very limited (usually limited to one or two one-sided appearances).

5. Non-organic diseases (such as dementia, brain tumors, epilepsy, etc.) caused secondary night terror attacks, but also non-fever convulsions and seizures.

(2) Night terrors should be distinguished from the following diseases:

1. Nightmare, nightmare is just a common "nightmare". Even if there is a night terror attack, it is only a very limited speech and physical movement, and nightmare can occur at any time at night, mostly in the stage of rapid eye movement sleep, and Startle usually occurs during non-REM sleep. Nightmare can be easily awakened, and the dream can be vividly and vividly recalled.

2. Seizures, seizures rarely occur only at night, and have typical EEG abnormalities.

Night terrors in children III. Examination:

(1) Determination of trace elements:

Trace elements play an extremely important role in the human body. Its deficiency and excess are related to human health. Trace elements have a special affinity for hair. Trace elements in the body are accumulated in the hair, and their high or low levels indicate that The danger of suffering from a certain disease can predict the physical condition through the test of hair trace elements, which is one of the economic and scientific health detection methods.

(B) EEG:

The pattern obtained by magnifying and recording the spontaneous biopotential of the brain from the scalp by precise electronic equipment is the spontaneous and rhythmic electrical activity of the brain cell population recorded by the electrodes. Routine EEG, dynamic EEG monitoring, video EEG monitoring.

Night terrors in children 4. Principles of treatment:

1. Occasional attacks do not require special treatment. Arrange the children's life regularly and avoid overwork and excitement during the day. Don't tell nervous stories and excitement before going to bed, don't watch thrilling and fearful movies, and don't threaten children to sleep. Allow children to fully relax before going to bed and fall asleep in a relaxed and happy mood.

2. In case of frequent attacks, a small dose of benzodiazepine or imipramine can be given.