Getting a good night's sleep is crucial for both parents and their children. However, for parents of infants with night terror, restful nights can seem unattainable.
Traditional Chinese medicine offers an alternative approach to treating this condition, with practitioners focusing on poor digestion, mental uneasiness, and fright as potential causes.
Infant night terror, also known as nocturnal fretfulness in infants, is a common condition where young children experience restlessness, fussiness, and wakefulness during the night.
During an episode, toddlers may suddenly scream or shout while sleeping, sit up, and open their eyes without focus.
These episodes are not caused by bad dreams and usually occur one to two hours after the child falls asleep. After five to 10 minutes, they will fall back asleep, and the next morning, they will wake up as usual without remembering or even knowing that they cried or woke up during the night.
In the past, medical professionals advised parents to prevent children from being too active or too excited during the day to avoid nocturnal fretfulness.
They would focus on the brain problem and recommend better sleeping habits, such as sleeping on time and preparing a comfortable sleeping environment.
However, recent studies have revealed that infant night terror may be linked to an overactive bladder, resulting in children who frequently wet the bed.
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners take a different approach to treating infant night terror.
They gather information about the child's daily life - such as their appetite, tendency to get angry easily, and urination habits - and make a diagnosis based on pulse checking and tongue and fingers observation.
Practitioners then prescribe corresponding herbal medicine to help alleviate the condition.
Baby massage may also be helpful in improving the flow of energy in the body and promoting calmness, which can alleviate the condition.
Understanding the potential causes of infant night terror and utilizing traditional remedies like herbal medicine and baby massage may be beneficial in helping children get a restful night's sleep.
Wong Pui-man is a Hong Kong-registered Chinese medicine practitioner. www.facebook.com/ CandyWongAcupuncture
