Nightmares

Scary dreams usually happen between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., when your child is in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Common nightmares involve being attacked, falling, or dying.

One out of four children has nightmares more than once a week. Nightmares may be more likely if your child is under stress or has suffered a frightening event, such as the death of a loved one.

After having a nightmare, your child will wake up and probably have trouble going back to sleep. To help calm your child:

• Let him know that you won’t let anything harm him.
• Encourage him to tell you about the dream.
• Keep the bedroom light on for a short time if it helps.
• Once your child is calm, encourage him to go back to sleep.

If your child continues to have frequent nightmares when he gets older, talk to your child’s doctor. Therapy is usually successful at resolving these nighttime disturbances.