A child’s sleep can be disrupted by nightmares. You have to know how to distinguish them from night terrors and find their origin in order to react in an appropriate and appropriate way.

Le nightmare is the paroxysmal manifestation of anxiety. It occurs during the paradoxical sleep phase – most often at the end of the night – during which the brain is in full activity. The child wakes up, cries, screams, and looks panicked. It is important to reassure him, to cuddle him and to stay with him until he is totally calm. Helping him get back in touch with reality helps him get back to sleep. Later in the day, you have to take the time to tell her about your nightmare. This allows the child to externalize his fear, which is easier when he feels understood. Parents must therefore help him to play down without ever making fun of him or scolding him for it.

Nightmares do not reveal anything to worry about when they occur occasionally. They are even the very normal manifestation of learning. Every day the child learns, experiences very strong emotions, and nightmares are the expression of an awareness of the concept of danger. Throughout his readings, cartoons he watches on television, his games, the child is confronted with characters that are not always very likeable. He thus learns what is wickedness, frustration, or even fear, sadness, anguish. These are all feelings that nightmares express. This is why it is better to talk about each of your anxious dreams during the next day instead.

When nightmares are frequent, they should alert parents. This is also the case with the post-traumatic nightmare, that is to say, which occurs after an extremely traumatic event. It is essential that the child be taken care of without delay by a specialist.

For the nightmares in children do not multiply, parents must take care to filter the images that they see, especially on television, on computers or on tablets. Likewise, the books available to children must be adapted to their age and / or their ability to understand. Any distressing situation must be explained to the child, which has the effect of reassuring him as soon as he is able to understand what he sees or what he hears.

Finally, at bedtime, emotions that are too strong and likely to generate fear should be avoided. In some children, fear of the dark can cause nightmares. A small nightlight is often enough to reassure him completely and allow him to find a sleep without nightmares.

Whatever the origin of the nightmares, it is not desirable for the child to end his night in his parents’ bed. On the contrary, you have to let him go back to sleep in his own room. He must understand that there is as much security as in the parental bed. It is a more or less long learning process, but which is important for the construction of the child.

Nightmares and night terrors are often confused when they are really quite different. Rarer than nightmares, night terrors – which affect boys more often than girls – appear during the deep sleep phase.

The child seems awake but he is not aware of his surroundings, nor of the presence of his parents who have come to calm him down. He is then totally disconnected from reality. These manifestations are sometimes spectacular. Parents may want to hug their child to soothe him or her. However, waking up a child during a phenomenon of night terrors can lead to mental confusion.

Better to stay close to him without showing up and wait until he goes back to sleep. Night terrors naturally cease when a child’s neurophysiological system becomes sufficiently mature.

Childhood nightmares are a common occurrence and quite normal. For the peace and well-being of children and parents alike, it is essential to understand them and do everything possible to reduce them as much as possible. A medical opinion in certain cases can sometimes be very useful!