We had recently moved to Oldham county and soon followed the birth of Maddax when she woke one night screaming that she was being chased by none other than ducks. We had been out feeding ducks earlier that day and that is what her mind decided to resort back to. I kid you not that it lasted over 4 hours. I being sleep deprived from nursing Maddax through the night handled it all wrong. I tried to wake her up and the more scared she got the angrier I got. I tried rocking her, reassuring her, holding her, but nothing worked. Nana and daddy were there and were eagerly trying to help. Everytime I pur her down she would take off running and screaming down the hall that the ducks were chasing her and trying to bite her. My mother finally came up with the idea to turn on a movie to try to redirect her thinking. It worked. We watched Cowboy Elmo at least 4 times beofre she fell asleep. Generally she does not recall any of her night terrors but this one she did and in the morning she remembered the ducks. When she went to get up off the couch and her gown touched her leg, she screamed and jumped back on the couch. It was her nightgown that kept precipitating the night terror. She thought the touching of her gown was the ducks pecking her leg.
We thought we had knocked this one only to have another that evening about a butterfly on her ear. She was terrified about this butterfly and woke up screaming for hours again. Our savior agian was Elmo. We found out agian that it was her hair tickling her ear. So that night we pulled her hair up and she wore pants. She continued to have night terrors about 2-3 times a week until we finally moved into our house in August. Then they dropped to 1-2 times a week and were less severe. This poor child had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. She would not nap in the day and by night time she was so tired that she would have another terror. Extreme fatigue can facilitate night terrors as well as not staying on a schedule. We tried it all and with no avail they continued.
At our last house I have written on her wall a Bible verse that I once again wrote on her wall at this house.
Last week she awoke at around 11:00 with another mild night terror. I have learned to just offer what she needs and not try to wake her up or talk her out of them. This one she wanted to be held but just continued to babble and scream while hitting herself in the leg. As I held her there a peace came over me. I started singing "Holy Spirit thou art welcome in this place, Holy Spirit thou art welcome in this place, omnipotent Father of mercy and grace, thou art welcome in this place" in my head. I began to pray in the Spirit for her and started speaking scripture to my heavenly Father. The more I prayed the quieter she became and eventually fell asleep in my arms. I hugged her and kissed her and laid her in her bed. Little did I know this would be the last night terror she would experience. She has not had another in over 7 days. Praise God.
Praise God these terrors have come to an end. I do remember that night I watched Cowboy Elmo with her into the wee hours in the morning. I remember praying for her also. I do believe that God hears our prayers, but has His perfect timing in answering them. We don't know his purpose for the timing, but instead we, must stand on his promises. Mom
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are both getting some sleep and the night terrors have ended. I will be praying.
ReplyDeleteI sang that same song to Miranda when she was in the hospital with meningitis when she was a baby. God's peace was never so real to me as it was at that time and place.