RECURRENT SLEEP PARALYSIS - FEAR OF SLEEPING
Daniela Figueiredo Ramos, Joana Magalhães, Paulo Santos, Jorge Vale, Maria Inês Santos
Revista Paulista de Pediatria December 14, 2021 DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018226 (opens in new tab) via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA sixteen-year-old girl with recurrent isolated sleep paralysis experienced auditory and tactile hallucinations that began three years before seeking help and worsened over the last year, causing fear of sleeping and negatively affecting her sleep, school performance, and social function. After medical conditions were ruled out, treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor led to complete resolution of symptoms. The case highlights that sleep complaints are often overlooked, and clinicians should actively ask patients about sleep during health assessments.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Sixteen-year-old girl with recurrent isolated sleep paralysis |
| Intervention | selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Keywords | Sleep paralysis Hallucinations Parasomnia |
| Key finding | A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor led to complete resolution of recurrent isolated sleep paralysis and associated hallucinations in a sixteen-year-old girl. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective: To report a case of recurrent isolated sleep paralysis (RISP), a benign parasomnia with worrisome and frightening sleep paralysis episodes. Case description: We describe a case of RISP in a sixteen-year-old girl who seeks medical attention for anxiety symptoms. The sleep paralysis and associated auditory and tactile hallucinations began three years before with worsening in the last year, causing fear of sleeping. The episodes were intensely frightening causing negative impact in patient’s sleep, school performance and social function. Medical conditions were excluded, and she started treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with complete resolution of symptoms. Comments: Sleep complaints are often devalued. Therefore, clinicians should actively ask their patients about their sleep during health assessment.