A nurse is teaching a parent of a preschool-age child about management of sleep terrors. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Remain uninvolved until the child awakens. This can be distressing for both the child and the parent. Parents should provide comfort and ensure the child is safe without trying to fully awaken them. Staying uninvolved until the child awakens ensures they do not reinforce the behavior inadvertentlyB. Take the child to the parent's bed to resume sleep. This can create a dependency on sleeping with the parent and may disrupt the child's ability to self-soothe and sleep independently.C. Schedule professional counselling for the child. While severe cases may benefit from professional help, many children experience sleep terrors that do not require counselling. It’s not the first-line approach.D. Allow the child to fall asleep with the television on. This is not advisable as it can create unhealthy sleep habits and the light from the television can disrupt sleep cycles.