Night Terrors, Nightmares and Fears
A child must take enough sleep over a 24 hour period. Failure to do so may
result in poor behaviour, slower growth and impaired memory. If night
terrors, bad dreams and general fears are stopping your child from sleeping
through the night then it needs to be addressed.
Nightmares
It is perfectly natural for young children to have a lot of dreams, both good
and bad. However, children cannot differentiate between fantasy and
reality. Telling your child it was "just a dream" may well not reassure them.
It is best to comfort children in the same way that we would if they face any
other fear. If your child wakes with a nightmare:
- Be there and offer comfort.
- Stay with your child until she feels relaxed and ready to sleep.
- Stay calm and convey to your child that what is happening is normal
and that all is well.
- Reassure your child that he is safe and that it is OK to go back to
sleep.
Night Terrors
During a night terror your child will wake suddenly and she may scream or
cry. Her eyes will be open, but she won't be seeing. She may
hyperventilate, thrash around or talk incoherently. She may be sweating
and flushed. She may seem scared, but your child is not frightened, not
awake, and not dreaming. She's asleep and in a zone between two sleep
cycles.
A child having a night terror is unaware of what is happening, and will not
remember the episode in the morning. The terror part of night terrors is
named for the parent who watches the disturbing scene.
During a night terror you may try to hold your child, but often this will
result in his pushing you away or fighting you off. The best response is a
gentle pat, along with comforting words or hush, hush sounds. If your child
gets out of bed you can lead him back. If he's sitting up you can guide him
to lie back down. Just keep an eye on him until he settles back to sleep.
Night Time Fears
Most children at some point will be frightened of the dark. A vivid
imagination can easily conjure up monsters in corners and trolls under the
bed. You may reduce his fears when you:
- Teach your child the difference between reality and fantasy through
discussion and book-reading.
- Find ways to help your child confront and overcome his fears. If dark
shadows are creating suspicious shapes, give your child a torch or use
a nightlight.
- Play some quiet classical music in the corner of the room.
- Give your child a comforter.
- Make the dark seem friendlier. Put a telescope on the window sill or
watch a film in the dark together.
- Ask your child what will make him feel better, but beware of answers
such as "sleeping in your bed". Your child needs to learn to cope in
his own room.