Night Terrors - Sleep Walking - Sleep.... laughing???

When Collin was an infant he had night terrors. Night terrors are different from night mares. It's the same part of the brain that causes sleep walking. The person having the night terror screams and cries as if they are terrified. Normally, his/her eyes are open and look awake but he/she isn't. They don't really know what's happening. If he/she wakes up in the middle of the night terror then the person is completely confused, no idea why they are scared but they still feel terrified. They were horrible and Collin had them multiple times a week and he had them for years and still has them sometimes. Once when we went to my in-laws, Paul and I literally had to catch him as he ran around the bed screaming. He was terrified of us. I held him for a long time, singing to him until he wasn't terrified any longer and realized he was safe. Then he switched to sleep walking which was just as scary. He'd walk around the house and any sound, movement or touch freaked him out and he'd cower and whimper in a corner somewhere. I'd get him and cuddle with him on the couch until he was deep asleep again then I'd get him back in bed.

Well, it seems to have morphed into something new... again. Last night, he woke Paul and me up with his laughter. I slowly walked into the living room where the laughter was coming from. He was sitting on the couch with his legs pulled in and his arms wrapped around them, staring at the television (which was off) laughing hysterically. I leaned down and tried talking to him but he just looked around me to the television and laughed again. I sat down next to him and pulled him into my side and he buried his face into me laughing hard again. He had me laughing because it was so funny watching him laugh at nothing. I finally got him to lay down on the couch and left him there to fall back asleep. He was still staring at the television when I walked out but no more laughter. haha! I have to admit though, I definitely prefer the laughter to the screaming and crying. So much better!!