Night Terrors - Magnesium - ???

[Swimtaxi234]

When my oldest had night terrors every night for months on end, we started putting 1/2C to 1C Epsom salts in his bath 3 or 4 nights a week (for the magnesium), and they disappeared within the week. We kept up with the Epsom salt baths for a good couple of years

 

I copied the above quote from a current thread, but I started my own thread because my questions are slightly different than in that thread.

 

My son has had night terrors for years. When I read a thread last week that mentioned the connection between night terrors and a magnesium deficiency, I was excited, then angry that none of the doctors I have asked over the years have ever suggested a connection.

 

I wasn't able to find the answers to my questions after an internet search, so I thought I would come back here to ask.

 

1) I bought the Epson salts, but since my son only takes showers I wasn't sure what to do. Does it have to be a bath or could I have him soak his feet?

 

2) We made a list of foods that are high in magnesium, but while I know he would eat some of those foods, I am worried that I won't be able to get enough magnesium in him a day. Is there a supplement that you have successfully used on your child?

[VeganCupcake]

I use Natural Calm for myself, and my kids have sometimes taken Baby Calm. It's a flavored, fizzy powder you mix with water and drink. It tastes pretty good. I hope it will help!

[Jean in Newcastle]

You can soak the feet in water. The benefit of an actual bath is that it absorbs through more surface area but it will still absorb through the feet. I agree with Natural Calm or Kid's Calm (both by Natural Vitality).

[Rbsmrter]

We make our own magnesium oil. We put it in a dark glass spray bottle and spray it on right after a shower. It does effect each person differently. Two of my three kids experienced slight tingling/burning the first few times we sprayed it on. After a few days the sensation went away. My husband and I each use about 15 sprays and the kids (5 and under) use about 10. We weren't using it because of night terrors, but I will say that everyone here sleeps much more soundly and my occasional headaches have disappeared.

[Swimtaxi234]

The Natural Calm looks interesting. What flavor do you like best? How much do you take?

 

I am going to also think about the magnesium oil. That sounds interesting too.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I like the original flavor which is sort of citrusy. My ds likes raspberry.

[Guest Naturalway]

We use bad dream sprinkles and it works like a charm! The kids love the name of it and ask for it nightly. We also changed our night time routine after reading this article.

 

For a limited time, they have a link with a 20% off coupon code.

 

The epsom salt baths may have a soothing, relaxing effect. Your son will have to use it in a bath obviously. I would suggest about an hour before bedtime, turn off all electronic distractions (TV, iPad, etc...), read them a story from a book that is age appropriate, brush their teeth, potty time, talk about their day while in bed, prayers... do anything you feel appropriate, but the idea here is to establish a routine that lowers the child's stress and soothes them just before bed. The bad dream sprinkles are a homeopathic remedy that we stand behind because they simply work. The night terrors stopped immediately after we gave our child the sprinkles. Any parent who has been up late at night dealing with this helpless situation, knows they will do anything for their child to comfort them.

 

I hope it works for you!

[Swimtaxi234]

The epsom salt baths may have a soothing, relaxing effect. Your son will have to use it in a bath obviously. I would suggest about an hour before bedtime, turn off all electronic distractions (TV, iPad, etc...), read them a story from a book that is age appropriate, brush their teeth, potty time, talk about their day while in bed, prayers... do anything you feel appropriate, but the idea here is to establish a routine that lowers the child's stress and soothes them just before bed. The bad dream sprinkles are a homeopathic remedy that we stand behind because they simply work. The night terrors stopped immediately after we gave our child the sprinkles.

 

I laughed about that night time routine since it has been so long since my son needed me for his bedtime routine, but I will definitely look into the Bad Dream Sprinkles since I want to do something that will help my son get a good night's sleep.

[Guest Naturalway]

I'm not sure how old your son is. I guess I just assumed he was young and suggested our methodologies. If he's older, perhaps some pleasant bedside manner just before bed, something to help ease him into his sleep routine and calm his anxieties.

[VeganCupcake]

The Natural Calm looks interesting. What flavor do you like best? How much do you take?

 

I am going to also think about the magnesium oil. That sounds interesting too.

 

I like the lemon raspberry, but the flavors are all pretty mild, I think. There is a range of dosages and you should start at the lower end and then increase as necessary, unless you have negative side effects (most notably loose bowels), not exceeding the max dosage.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm not sure how old your son is. I guess I just assumed he was young and suggested our methodologies. If he's older, perhaps some pleasant bedside manner just before bed, something to help ease him into his sleep routine and calm his anxieties.

 

Night terrors have absolutely nothing to do with anxieties or bad dreams. They are a disruption in the sleep cycles similar to sleepwalking. In fact, many children who have night terrors when they are young, sleepwalk when they are older. They can be triggered by being too hot, having to go to the bathroom etc. because instead of waking up like a "normal" person who takes care of the problem and then goes right back to sleep, the person goes into a night terror.

[Sandragood1]

OP, you said "Night Terrors". Right? Not just nightmares?

 

Night terrors are more akin to sleep walking than to dreaming. My son had them when he was little. They happened when his sleep schedule was disturbed. For example, he took his nap a couple of hours late. He was also a VERY deep sleeper.

 

Your son may want to try to keep a very regular sleep schedule, if he isn't already.

 

I also noted a connection between his body trying to signal him to wake up b/c his bladder was full and the occurrence of the night terrors. Maybe your son could be extra careful about drinking before bed. There are also certain foods that stimulate the bladder - not just caffeine. I recall melon being on the list. Look them up and avoid them after noon.

 

My dd uses the Magnesium drink and likes the lemon flavor. You can also buy magnesium oil (used as a laxative) and apply it topically. The drink is the easiest option IME.

 

Good luck to you two,

 

Sandra

[Guest Naturalway]

Jean, I never said night terrors were a result of bad dreams or anxieties. Bad Dream sprinkles just happens to be the name of the product. The anxieties I alluded to were a result of the statement made in the first post that this has been happening for years. One would assume that if something unpleasant was happening at night in the home for years, there would be a certain level of anxiety in the air.

 

The Mayo clinic however, would adamantly disagree with you:

 

Causes

 

By Mayo Clinic staff

Various factors can contribute to sleep terrors, including:

• Sleep deprivation
  
• Fatigue
  
• Stress
  
• Anxiety
  
• Fever (in children)
  
• Sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings
  
• Lights or noise
  

Sleep terrors sometimes are associated with underlying conditions that affect sleep, such as:

• Sleep-disordered breathing — a group of disorders characterized by abnormal breathing patterns during sleep, the most common of which is obstructive sleep apnea
  
• Migraines
  
• Head injuries
  

In other cases, use of alcohol, illegal drugs or certain medications — including some antihistamines, sedatives and sleeping pills — can trigger sleep terror episodes.

[Guest downeastdonna]

This may sound crazy, it does to me because I am a registered Dental Hygienist. My child has Night Terrors from Sodium Fluoride. We tried Rx Fluoride 29 times over a two year period. My son had never had Night Terrors before, every night we tried Fluoride he experienced horrible Night Terrors through the first half of the night, I would call them psychotic type episodes. After being 14 months free of Night Terrors, I decided to give Fluoride a try again with the encouragement of his pediatrician. She suggested trying liquid form this time. Two weeks ago we tried giving 1ml before bed, and sure enough that night we were up throughout the night with Night Terrors, first he would scream as if he was frightened and was kicking me trying to run away, other times he would rock and sob in a ball, as they were winding down he was seeing bugs on his pillow. He had no clue who I was and it broke my heart to see my little boy like this. I panicked thinking just what if I had altered his brain permanently from giving him the Fluoride even though I knew in my gut he would react to it as he always had, but I had to do it so his pediatrician would believe me.

Another strange symptom, my sons had rapid blinking spells and rolling of the eyes which he experienced daily episodes of about 15 minutes several times a day since he was 3 years old, he is now 5 and a half. I stopped the Fluoridated Toothpaste two weeks ago and the eye condition stopped completely with not one symptom showing up. I had him swallowing his toothpaste since he was 3, since he could not tolerate Rx Fluoride strength. I believe in Fluoride and have seen that it really does prevent tooth decay, but now I have to wonder if it may have strange effects with other children too. Perhaps my child is just a anomaly.

My son is a very bright, normal, happy and healthy child otherwise.

There is fluoride everywhere from being added to our drinking water to fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides (Sodium Fluoride is also a very effective pesticide, and rat poison) and foods manufactured in cities with Fluoridated water. I hope this information can help even one mom.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean, I never said night terrors were a result of bad dreams or anxieties. Bad Dream sprinkles just happens to be the name of the product. The anxieties I alluded to were a result of the statement made in the first post that this has been happening for years. One would assume that if something unpleasant was happening at night in the home for years, there would be a certain level of anxiety in the air.

 

The Mayo clinic however, would adamantly disagree with you:

 

 

People can have sleep disturbances, like night terrors or sleepwalking as a result of stress and anxiety. But you do not have anxiety about the actual terror because people are unaware of having night terrors. Stress and anxiety is only one possible contributing factor. Night terrors are unpleasant and stressful for the parent but are not unpleasant for the person having them unless they actually wake up in the middle of one. It was amazing to me how my daughter could be screaming and thrashing like she was being stabbed and yet when awake have no memory or bad feelings at all about the episode.