In a night terror your child is still asleep, so stay close, keep them safe and don’t try to wake them.
A two-minute read, three things to try, for children under 9.
Where to start
Stay close and keep your child safe, but don’t try to wake them.
Keep a regular, relaxing bedtime, and make sure your child uses the toilet first.
If terrors come at a set time, wake your child fifteen minutes before, for two weeks.
See your GP if your child is still having night terrors after the age of twelve or starts having them after the age of five, or, if your child gets out of bed during them, you’re worried about accidents or injuries, as the NHS advice on sleepwalking puts it.
The rest of the tip, and why it works, is in the library.
Sources
NHS, Night terrors and nightmares (reviewed November 2025); NHS, Sleepwalking (reviewed April 2025)
It goes with
The Hour Before Bed.For parents whose child’s bedtime has turned into an hour of worries, questions and meltdowns.
The first chapter you open here is free to read in full.
Free on this subject
Sleep.What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
Child development.What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
Published by Kensington Square Therapy. Company No. 16707111. Written by therapists registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). This page is not therapy, and not a substitute for professional support. The full library is at theparentbook.com.