Three-year-old Adam lets out a piercing scream a few hours after he has fallen asleep. When his parents come to his room, Adam is sitting up in bed with his eyes open and in a state of panic, with a racing heart. Within 15 minutes, he has fallen back to sleep, and the next day he has no memory of the episode. Adam has experienced

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Adam has experienced a sleep terror, also known as a night terror. Night terrors are episodes of intense fear that occur during non-REM sleep, usually in the first third of the night. They are most common in children and can be characterized by screaming, sitting up in bed, and a racing heart. The individual may appear to be awake but is actually still in a sleep state and is not responsive to comforting or soothing. The individual typically has no memory of the episode the next day.

Three-Year-Old Adam Lets Out a Piercing Scream a Few Hours