"Nightmares,
Night Terrors and Fears "
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The
lack of adequate, restful sleep can affect your
child’s mood, behavior, health, memory and growth. If
there is anything standing in the way of a good
night’s sleep for your child it’s important to
address the issue and solve the problem. Following is a
list of typical sleep disrupters and possible solutions.
Nightmares
Children
spend more time dreaming than adults do, so they have
many more dreams—both good and bad. Telling young
children after a nightmare that “It was just a
dream” doesn’t explain what they experienced, since
they don’t understand the fantasy aspect of dreams –
after all, most of them believe that the tooth fairy and
Big Bird are real. Keeping this in mind, it is best to
comfort children in the same way we comfort them when
they face a tangible 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’s happening is
normal and that all is well.
·
Reassure
your child that he’s safe and that it’s OK to go
back to sleep.
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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’s happening,
and won’t remember the episode in the morning. So 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 Shhh
Shhh 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.
Nighttime
Fears
It’s
normal for a child to imagine monsters or other things that
generate a fear of the dark. Even if you explain, and even if
you assure him that he’s safe, he may still be scared. You may
reduce his fears when you:
§
Teach
your child the difference between real 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
flashlight to keep at his bedside.
§
Leave
soothing lullabies playing, or white noise sounds running to
fill the quiet.
§
Give
your child one, two, or a zoo of stuffed animals to sleep with.
§
Put
a small pet, like a lizard, turtle, or fish, in your child’s
room for company.
§
Take
a stargazing walk, build a campfire, or have a candlelight
dinner to make the dark more friendly.
§
Ask
your child what will make him feel better.
Preventing
Sleep Disrupters
Some
things have been found to reduce the number or severity of
sleep-disturbing episodes. Since they are all based on good
sleep practices, they are worth a try:
Follow
a calm and peaceful routine the hour before bedtime.
§
Maintain
a consistent bed time seven days a week.
§
Avoid
books and movies that disturb or frighten your child.
§
Have
your child take a daily nap.
§
Provide
your child with a light snack an hour or two before bedtime, and
avoid a heavy meal, spicy food, sugar or caffeine during that
time.
§
Remember
to have your child use the potty just before she gets in to bed.
Is
there a time to call a professional?
Don’t
ever hesitate to call a professional if you have
concerns about your child’s sleep.
For more information from Elizabeth
Pantley go to her website.
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Excerpted with permission
by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Sleep Solution
for Toddlers & Preschoolers (McGraw-Hill 2005)
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