Question

A 4-year-old girl lies down and goes to sleep without any parental intervention, but she sometimes wakes her parents at night by screaming, thrashing, sweating, and appears frightened. The child is not aware of her parents' presence when they check on her. What information can the nurse provide to the parents about this occurrence?

A. Their child is having a nightmare.
B. Their child is experiencing mild sleep apnea.
C. These behaviors are characteristic of a night terror.
D. Their daughter is having nocturnal seizure activity.

Answer 1

The nurse can inform the parents that their child's behaviors are characteristic of night terrors, which are sleep disorders characterized by a sense of panic and attempts to escape. The child is not aware of her parents' presence during night terrors and has no memory of the events. Attempts to console the child during a night terror are usually ineffective.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse can provide information to the parents that the child's behaviors are characteristic of a night terror. Night terrors are sleep disorders in which the sleeper experiences a sense of panic and may scream or attempt to escape from the immediate environment. Individuals suffering from night terrors are generally not aware of their surroundings and have no memory of the events that occurred. Attempts to console them are ineffective, and they usually fall back asleep within a short time.