Nightmares, Night Terrors, and Sleepwalking: When to Seek Help

A calm guide for frightening nighttime events in children

MEDICALLY REVIEWED - APPROVED FOR WEBSITE PUBLICATION

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare
2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611 | 559-538-3070

Many children occasionally have nightmares, night terrors, or sleepwalking. These events can be frightening for adults to watch, but they are often temporary and do not mean that a child has a serious mental-health problem. Safety, the child's breathing and responsiveness, the pattern over time, and daytime functioning matter most.

Urgent warning signs - check this first

Call 911 now for severe trouble breathing, blue or gray lips or face, a serious injury, a child who is limp or unresponsive, or another life-threatening emergency.

Seek urgent medical evaluation for an event with repeated rhythmic jerking, stiffening, unusual breathing, blue or gray color, a prolonged period of unresponsiveness, serious injury, or a child who does not return toward their usual self afterward. These signs may be more than an ordinary sleep event.

How these events can look different

Nightmares usually happen later in the night. A child wakes up frightened, can usually be comforted, and may remember all or part of a dream the next day.
Night terrors usually happen in the first part of the night. A child may cry, scream, sit up, look frightened, sweat, or push a caregiver away while not fully awake. The child may not recognize you and usually has little or no memory of the event in the morning.
Sleepwalking often occurs in the first part of the night. A child may sit up, walk, or do simple activities while appearing awake but not fully aware. The child may have no memory of it the next day.

What to do during a night terror or sleepwalking episode

Stay calm and keep the child safe. Move hazards away, block stairs, secure doors and windows, and gently guide the child back to bed if needed.
Do not try to force the child fully awake or argue during the episode. This can make the event longer or more upsetting.
Use a quiet voice and simple reassurance. Stay nearby until the child settles and is safely back in bed.
For recurrent sleepwalking, use practical safety measures: consider door alarms or gates when appropriate, keep sharp objects and medications secured, and avoid top bunks until episodes have stopped or a clinician advises otherwise.

How to help after a nightmare

Offer comfort, a quiet check of the room, and a brief reminder that the child is safe. Keep lights and conversation low-key so the child can return to sleep.
Listen if the child wants to talk, draw, or share the dream. Avoid making the dream feel more real or frightening.
Keep a predictable bedtime routine and enough sleep. Illness, fever, stress, irregular schedules, and overtiredness can make nighttime events more likely in some children.

When to contact your child's healthcare professional

Events are frequent, worsening, lead to injury or unsafe wandering, or are disrupting the child's or family's sleep.
The child has loud snoring, pauses in breathing, gasping, marked daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, or difficulty paying attention that may point to a sleep-breathing problem.
Nightmares are persistent, linked to a frightening experience or major stress, cause strong daytime anxiety, or the child is avoiding sleep.
You are unsure whether the event could be a seizure or another medical problem. A brief video and a sleep-event log - time of night, what happened, how long it lasted, and how the child acted afterward - can help the clinician.

Sources and medical review

Sources checked: August 15, 2026 | Medical review completed: August 15, 2026