Night terrors are episodes of intense screaming, crying, thrashing, or fear during sleep that happen again and again, usually in children ages 3 to 12. During night terrors, children might look like they’re awake, but theyre not and they wont remember the episode in the morning. Night terrors usually happen about 2-3 hours after a child falls asleep when the brain is in non-REM (non-rapid eye movement) stages of sleep. The child partly wakes up, and the area of the brain that controls “fight-or-flight” responses becomes overexcited, making the child feel panicked and terrified. Night terrors are most common in kids younger than 13 years old and are usually not caused by psychological stress. Some common causes of night terrors in children include sleep deprivation, stress, fever, anxiety, and sleeping in a new place or away from home. Night terrors are not harmful, and kids almost always grow out of them. However, if a child is having night terrors along with breathing problems like snoring, its important to talk with a doctor about an ear, nose, and throat assessment. If a child is experiencing night terrors, parents can help by keeping a sleep diary, ensuring their child gets enough good-quality sleep, and making sure their child feels safe in their sleep environment.