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Keeping nightmares at bay

Keeping nightmares at bay
Average rating: 3 out of 5 star rating

Young children get nightmares because they can't distinguish between fantasy and reality. Because of this, they can become extremely upset and resist going back to sleep.

Do:

  • Go to your child to reassure her. Hug her and calmly tell her that it was just a bad dream.
  • Try to get her to tell you what happened in the dream - this can help her to calm down.
  • Hang a dream-catcher above her bed and explain that any bad dreams will be trapped in there so she won't be scared by them.
  • Pinpoint anything that might be causing her stress. 'Is there a new baby in the house? Are you moving home? Is she potty-training or has she just started at pre-school?' says Annette. 'Talk to her about anything that might be going on and reassure her that it's nothing to worry about. This should help ease any anxiety.'
  • If the nightmares occur at the same time every morning, go in and wake her up just before that point. Give her a drink of water and then settle her back down.
  • Speak to your health visitor if the dreams seem excessively frightening and they leave your child in a state of shock - it's possible she could be having night terrors.

Don't:

  • Read bedtime stories that might be subconsciously scary and, again, don't let her watch TV just before bedtime.
  • Start a potty-training programme if she's having frequent bad dreams and you think they may be stress-related - it'll just be one more thing for her to worry about.

- Next: Solutions if your child is scared of the dark

More help and advice

- Sleep strategies that really work
- Sleep problems in children
- Tips on establishing a bedtime routine
- Find out more about insomnia
- Is your child ruining your sleep? Find some help in Chat

Average rating:

3 out of 5 star rating

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