Dealing with kids’ nightmare

Nightmares can wake children up in fear, and they are quite common! They may be related to the child's real-life experience or simply imaginary. Whatever the reason, comfort and reassurance is necessary when your child screams in fear and wakes up in tears.

Some children, depending on their language ability, can often recall their nightmare in detail and might be able to share it with you. Try to pull out as much as you can when it is still fresh, and do some explanation. This helps the kids to deal with the experience.

You will also find that your little one usually finds it hard to go back to sleep. This is completely normal and is just a passing phase. As your child grows older, he or she will have a better understanding that a dream is just a dream and that what happens in a dream can't really hurt him.

Nightmares are common from age two onwards. By age seven, the child will normally know how to deal with it on his own, without needing parental help.

There are ways to help a child deal with nightmares:

1)Explain that it was all a bad dream and that the child is alright and has nothing to worry about. A cuddle will normally help.

2)Best to avoid laughing at the child for screaming and crying or call him/her names for acting as such. Remember, nightmares can seem very real most especially for young children.

3)If your child wants to speak to you about the nightmare, just be patient and be a good listener as well. But if your child forgets about it the following day, don't try to bring it up for this might only upset your little one.

4)It is common to have reoccurring dreams or nightmares, which may be in connection to your child's daily activities and experiences. Try to work out what is causing it; for example, stress in being around other children, books he has read or even the television shows he watches.

Nightmares cannot really be prevented but they can be lessened.

(Helpful Resources: www.kidshealth.org and www.raisingchildren.net)