Why do children have nightmares?
Almost all children have nightmares now and then. That does not necessarily mean your child has experienced something terrible – sometimes a nightmare is also a way to process too many or too complex stimuli from the day. Reasons can include, for example:
Is there a remedy for nighttime nightmares?
For children, bad dreams are all the more frightening because they still cannot really distinguish between dream and reality. Often the feeling of fear that a nightmare triggered remains until the next day and may trigger new, completely unfounded fears. Over time and with plenty of attention from their parents, however, children learn to cope with their nightmares and to put them into perspective. There is no real cure for nightmares, but fortunately bad dreams do not occur too often. You can prevent them by establishing regular bedtimes and a structured routine with one or two bedtime rituals. A night light and a tidy sleeping environment help, as does a calm evening: for example you can read a story together before going to sleep or talk about the day to review experiences and impressions. If your child has bad dreams frequently, has a recurring nightmare, or is refusing to go to bed out of fear of bad dreams, you should make an appointment with your pediatrician to find out what might be behind it.
A special kind of nightmare: night terror
Persistent nighttime screaming: Usually children can be quickly calmed after a nightmare with some cuddling and comforting words. Parents are all the more startled when their child suddenly sits in bed screaming loudly at night and simply cannot be calmed. The so-called "night terror" (pavor nocturnus) is actually not a nightmare, but a type of temporary sleep disorder that mainly occurs in children between the ages of two and six.
Like in a trance: In this state, children get 'stuck' in the transition between deep sleep and the semi-awake phase and are like in a trance – they often have their eyes open but are not awake. Many children also do not want to be touched during a night terror or may flail when parents try to comfort them. However, after five to ten minutes everything is usually over.
Distressing but harmless: Even though the persistent nighttime screaming episodes are frightening and nerve-racking, night terrors are basically completely harmless. The majority of children only deal with this type of parasomnia occasionally, and it eventually stops on its own.
First aid for bad dreams
Being there and staying: Always respond when your child calls you at night and stay with them until they have calmed down.
Physical contact: Cuddling is the best medicine for nightmares – you might get into bed with them for a while.
Let them tell it: If your child wants to tell the dream or remembers it, listen – if they don't want to tell it, that's okay too.
Just a dream: Make it clear to your child that the dream is not real – they may not believe you, but the comforting words are still very valuable.
Important comforters: Turn on the night light, give your child their favorite cuddly toy or another familiar comfort object so they can go back to sleep calmly.
Image credits:
little girl covering her face with the duvet ©Raul Mellado - stock.adobe.com
