Toddler Night Terrors: What They Are and What to Do

A night terror is a partial waking from deep sleep in which a child screams, thrashes or stares, looks terrified and does not recognise you, then settles back to sleep and remembers nothing. The AAP says night terrors “occur most often in toddlers and preschoolers” and usually happen early in the night. They look frightening but are not harmful. The right response is to stay calm, keep your child from getting hurt, avoid waking them and wait. Most episodes are over within minutes, and most children grow out of them.

What a night terror looks like

HealthyChildren.org, the AAP’s parent site, says that during a night terror your child might:

“Cry uncontrollably”
“Sweat, shake or breathe fast”
“Have a terrified, confused or glassy-eyed look”
“Thrash around, scream, kick or stare”
“Not recognize you or realize you are there”
“Try to push you away, especially if you try to hold them”

Nemours KidsHealth adds that a child may “suddenly sit upright in bed” or “get up and run from the bed”, and that episodes “usually happen about 2–3 hours after a child falls asleep.”

The part parents find hardest is that comfort doesn’t work. A child having a night terror is not awake, so holding them, talking to them or turning on the light doesn’t reach them, and can make the thrashing worse.

Night terrors vs nightmares

The two are often confused, and they call for opposite responses. The NHS, the AAP and KidsHealth describe them like this:

	Night terror	Nightmare
When	Early in the night, during the deepest sleep	Later, in “the second half of the night” (AAP)
Is the child awake?	No. “Eyes open but not awake” (NHS)	Yes, they wake from the dream
Do they know you’re there?	Usually not, and may push you away	Yes, and want comfort
Does comfort help?	Rarely. Waiting does	Yes, it is “the best response” (AAP)
Remembered next day?	”Will not remember it” (NHS)	Often remembered
Typical age	”Most often in toddlers and preschoolers” (AAP); NHS says 3 to 8	Can start “as young as 6 months” and “peak between 3 and 12 years old” (AAP)
Length	Most are short. The NHS says “up to 15 minutes”, and the AAP notes some “can last as long as 45 minutes”	Short, but settling back to sleep can take a while

A quick way to tell in the moment: a child having a nightmare wants you and is comforted by you. A child having a night terror doesn’t seem to know you are there. Fear of the dark is a third thing again, a daytime and bedtime worry rather than something that happens in sleep, and it has its own entry, toddler fear of the dark.

Why they happen

Night terrors come out of deep, non-REM sleep, when a child partly wakes but doesn’t fully surface. Sleepwalking comes from the same stage of sleep, and the mechanism is explained in toddler sleepwalking. KidsHealth and the NHS both say that night terrors and sleepwalking often run in families.

KidsHealth lists things that can make night terrors more likely:

“not getting enough sleep”
“being sick”
“taking some types of medicines”
“sleeping in a new place or away from home”
“anxiety or stress”
“having too much caffeine”

The NHS adds sudden noises at night or needing to pee, both of which can disturb deep sleep. KidsHealth also names obstructive sleep apnea and reflux, because anything that disrupts sleep can set them off.

For toddlers, being overtired is the trigger most within your control. The CDC puts children aged one to two at “11–14 hours (including naps)” in 24 hours, and a dropped nap or a late night can push a child below that. Betteroo has a guide to a two-year-old’s daily sleep needs if you want to check the day against it.

What to do during a night terror

Stay calm. The AAP is reassuring here: “Children are unaware of ever having a night terror because they are asleep, so there is no effect on children, only parents.”
Keep them from getting hurt. Move anything they could hit, and stand between them and the stairs if they get up. The NHS advises not to try to stop a person moving about “unless there’s a risk they could hurt themselves or someone else.”
Don’t try to wake them. KidsHealth says this “usually doesn’t work, and kids who do wake are likely to be confused and upset.” The NHS adds that they “may get more upset if you try to comfort them.”
Wait it out quietly. Stay nearby, say little, and let it pass. Most children settle back to sleep without ever waking.
Don’t bring it up the next morning unless your child does. They won’t remember it, and talking about it can make bedtime worrying for no reason.

Field note: the parent is the one who remembers a night terror. A short plan agreed in daylight (who goes in, what gets moved, and that nobody tries to wake the child) makes the next one far less frightening for the adults.

Making the next one less likely

Protect total sleep. An earlier bedtime on days with a short or missed nap is the simplest lever.
Keep the bedtime routine calm and predictable. The NHS and KidsHealth both recommend a relaxing routine, and the toddler bedtime routine entry has one that works at this age.
Try a planned waking if they come at the same time each night. The NHS suggests waking a child “15 minutes before the night terror every night for 2 weeks”; KidsHealth suggests about 15 to 30 minutes before. Talk to your pediatrician before trying it with a toddler.
Tell babysitters. The AAP advises telling babysitters “what they are and what to do”, so nobody tries to wake or calm a child who can’t be reached.

When to call the doctor

KidsHealth says to talk to your doctor if:

night terrors “last longer than 30 minutes, happen more than once a week, or prevent your child from getting enough sleep”
your child “seems very sad, fearful, or stressed during the day”
your child “has drooling, stiffening, or jerking during the night terror”
your child “snores, has heartburn, or has frequent burping”

The NHS also suggests seeing a doctor if night terrors start after age five or continue after age twelve, and the AAP says to talk with your child’s doctor “if night terrors keep happening.” None of this is medical advice; it’s a well-organized head start for that conversation.

FAQ: toddler night terrors

Are night terrors harmful to my toddler?

No. KidsHealth says they’re “not harmful and kids almost always grow out of them,” and the AAP notes that children are unaware of them because they are asleep. The main risk is injury from thrashing or running, so keep the room safe.

Should I wake my toddler during a night terror?

No. Waking usually doesn’t work, and a child who does wake tends to be confused and more upset. Keep them safe and wait.

At what age do night terrors start?

The AAP says they are most common in toddlers and preschoolers, and the NHS gives the peak as ages three to eight. The AAP’s wording includes toddlers, so a two-year-old having one is not unusual.

How do I know if it’s a night terror or a nightmare?

Look at timing and recognition. A night terror comes early in the night and the child doesn’t seem to know you are there. A nightmare comes later, and the child wakes up and wants comfort.