What tests are needed for night terrors

Night terrors are a common disease among children, which are often manifested by fear and panic at night, sudden screaming and shouting, and even abnormal behaviors such as tachycardia and getting out of bed. Night terrors have a huge impact on children and may even threaten their personal safety, so it is necessary to go to the hospital for examination in time. Generally speaking, the examination items for patients with night terrors include: polysomnography, auxiliary examinations and psychological assessments.

Night terrors are sudden attacks of extreme fear and panic at night, manifested by sudden sitting up, screaming, shouting or crying, and may also include symptoms of autonomic nervous system excitement such as tachycardia, rapid breathing, sweating, flushing of the skin, as well as abnormal behaviors such as getting out of bed and rushing to the door. An attack usually lasts 1 to 10 minutes and is difficult to awaken. If forcibly awakened, there will be a loss of consciousness and orientation, and the person will be unable to tell the content of the dream and usually cannot recall the attack.

2. Inspection

1. Polysomnography

It can be seen that the amplitude of myoelectric waves suddenly increases, the amplitude of brain electrical waves decreases, the frequency becomes faster, and sometimes an alpha rhythm lasting several seconds appears.

Routine tests such as blood routine, blood biochemistry, thyroid hormone, and auxiliary examinations such as electroencephalogram, brain CT, and brain MRI are performed to understand whether there are physical diseases and organic brain lesions.

3. Psychological Assessment

Personality tests such as the Retrospective Personality Development Inventory (WMPI) developed by Professor Wang Weidong, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, as well as the Symptom Self-Assessment Scale. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) were used.

Treatment

1. General treatment

Generally, no special treatment is required, especially sleep terrors that occur in childhood usually heal themselves after adolescence. It is necessary to explain relevant health knowledge to patients and their families to reduce psychological stress. Eliminate various stressful factors before going to bed and keep your emotions stable and happy. Parents should not be afraid or panic when night terrors occur, and there is no need to wake up the child. Instead, they can comfort the child and let him fall asleep again.

For those who have frequent sleep terrors or have obvious anxiety, depression and other emotions during the day, anti-anxiety drugs can be used in a short period of time and in small amounts. The more commonly used ones are alprazolam and lorazepam. You can also use antidepressants with good anti-anxiety effects such as escitalopram and paroxetine.

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

Traditional Chinese medicine also has its unique advantages in the treatment of night terrors. The more commonly used prescriptions include: Guipi Decoction, Wendan Decoction, Xiexin Decoction, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction, Jiaotai Pills, Tianwang Buxin Dan, etc. Chinese patent medicines include: Zhusha Anshen Pills, Danggui Longhui Pills, Baizi Yangxin Pills, Anshen Bunao Liquid, Renshen Guipi Pills, etc. The patients can be diagnosed and treated according to their symptoms. Acupuncture and massage also have a good effect on night terrors.