Children’s Nightmares: Causes and How to Respond

Many children experience disturbing dreams or nightmares at different stages of their lives, causing distress that may affect their mental well-being.

At what age do children begin having nightmares? What causes nightmares in children? When might children’s nightmares have psychological significance, and what should parents do in such cases? We will answer some of the many questions about children’s nightmares in this article.

The difference between nightmares and night terrors:

It is important to distinguish between nightmares and night terrors, as they differ in their psychological definition and symptoms.

Nightmares and when they begin in children:

Nightmares occur during the final stage of a child’s sleep. The child remembers them clearly upon waking and can recount them to you. Signs of fear and distress are visible during sleep, and these disturbing dreams begin at the age of two.

Night terrors and when they occur:

Night terrors occur during deep sleep, about two hours after the child falls asleep. Their symptoms include screaming, fear, and panic. The child may involuntarily hit or kick those nearby. Parents may think the child is awake and aware of what is happening, but the opposite is true: the child cannot see or hear you when you try to calm them. Upon waking, the child will not remember what happened during the night, much like sleepwalking, which occurs without conscious awareness or intention.

Genetics plays a major role in a child’s susceptibility to night terrors, which are most common between the ages of two and six. It is important to understand that disturbing dreams are part of a child’s natural development, the growth of their imagination, their developing awareness of fear and its existence, and their increasing interaction with their surroundings.

Causes of nightmares and night terrors

Disturbing dreams, whether nightmares or night terrors, can have several causes, including:

• Not having a consistent sleep schedule or bedtime.
• Poor nutrition.
• Fever and certain medications.
• Violent scenes on television or computers, and in video games.
• The loss of a loved one.
• Parental divorce.
• Family instability.
• Negative communication between parents, such as heated arguments or one parent abusing the other in front of the child.
• Abusing or intimidating the child through shouting or hitting.
• Feeling unsafe.
• Experiencing certain incidents.

How can you help a child when nightmares occur?

First, remember that nightmares or disturbing dreams are part of the child’s brain development and social interaction. Try to remain prepared and calm when they occur so that your anxiety, tension, and fear are not passed on to your child.

Steps you can take to deal with children’s nightmares

• Try to prevent children’s nightmares by keeping sources of fear and anxiety, such as violent cartoons or marital problems, out of your child’s sight as much as possible.
• Establish a consistent routine for sleep and early waking that covers the time, place, and bedtime preparations. This can include reading a relaxing bedtime story and having a reassuring conversation that allows the child to express their feelings while receiving affection and cuddles.
• Avoid frightening children’s stories, such as Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, as they can set the child’s imagination running.
• Reassure the child with a calm voice or whisper, gentle touch, and cuddles.
• Stay beside your child until they fall asleep again after the disturbing dream.
• Do not leave the child alone when you hear them scream. Go to them so they can feel your presence and protection.
• Leave a dim light on in the room or keep the door slightly open.
• As the child grows, gradually teach them skills and strategies for calming themselves without leaving them to face the experience alone and without protection or support. For example, teach them to keep a small flashlight under their pillow and switch it on if they wake, to breathe in and out, or to change their sleeping position.
• It is important to calm the child in the same place where they fell asleep and had the disturbing dream, whether in their parents’ room or their own. This prevents them from associating the dream with the sleeping place, which could negatively affect how they feel about it and turn it into a source of fear.
• Help the child talk about the disturbing dream through drawing, conversation, storytelling, or role-play. This helps them express their feelings and reduces their fear.

When should I consult a mental health professional?

If the nightmare, or a dream with the same content, becomes more frequent—for example, if the child repeatedly dreams that a monster is chasing them, sees someone they love turn into a bad person who wants to hurt them, or sees their favorite toy causing them harm—and such nightmares or disturbing dreams continue for a month, a visit to a mental health professional is warranted. The professional can use psychological techniques to identify the causes and address them through appropriate therapeutic methods.

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