A few months back, I wrote that Maddy has experienced night terrors occasionally. She had some when she was younger. Well, they have recently re-surfaced again. The past two weeks, on at least 3 or 4 occasions, I've heard her crying and sometimes even sobbing in her room or in the hallway on the floor. Running to her, I've found her sitting straight up, crying and then kicking her little arms and legs as I got closer. I talked to her quietly, but she just continued to be very agitated and upset. So, then I would take her into another room to sleep. I generally have had to carry her because it is quite apparent that even though her eyes are open, she is not registering that I am even there. She falls soundly asleep nearly as soon as her head hits the pillow and has no recollection of it whatsoever the next day! Even though she falls right to sleep and doesn't remember the episode the next day, it's hard to see her so upset.
After consulting Dr. Google and Webmd and its definition of night terrors, I've been trying to figure out if something has been upsetting her, but I haven't come up with anything. She's been going to bed at about the same time as usual and her routine hasn't changed. Maybe there simply is no explanation. The only thing I can come up with is that this month (February) is the month that she was moved from her foster family back to the orphanage to get ready to meet us in early March nearly six years ago. Do you suppose her subconscious is remembering that?
She had a very difficult time with changes and adjusting to new people during her first year with us. I always attributed it to the fact that she experienced so many changes during her first 13-14 months. Knowing how she reacted to changes when she was a toddler, it seemed to me that probably as soon as she got used to a place or caregiver, it changed. And she'd have to go through the whole grieving and readjusting process all over again. I haven't really come up with any answers about the recent night terrors, but am just hoping they stop again as quickly as they began. The good thing is that she does not remember being so upset and crying at all the next day. For now, I'm going to watch and see if the night terrors continue. So far, none this week. It is definitely something that I will discuss with her pediatrician.
