HEALTHY FAMILY
Bye-Bye, Bad Dreams
How to Help Your Child Deal With
Nightmares and Sleep Terrors
BY LAURA BOYCOURT
Bad Dreams:
What Causes Them
Nightmares — a common and normal part of
development — are a psychological response
to a child’s insecurities and fears. They are
most common in school-age children but also
occur in preschoolers and adolescents.

Dr. Melody Hawkins of the Pediatric and
Adolescent Sleep Center in Fairfax, Virginia,
says that the type of nightmares kids
experience depends on their age.

“Usually in younger kids, frequently
the concern is that they’ve been separated
from their parent,” says Hawkins. Older
kids often have nightmares that something
might happen to them, such as instances
where they might experience harm
or embarrassment.

Dr. Maria Veronica Bautista, head of
the division of pediatric pulmonary and
sleep medicine at MedStar Georgetown
University Hospital in Washington, D.C.,
adds that bad dreams in smaller children
typically happen within a day or two of a
frightening event.

16 Washington FAMILY MAY 2021
Common causes of bad dreams include
scary movies, fears, traumatic events and big
life or schedule changes. Situations such as
being bullied can also cause nightmares in
older children. However, the biggest culprit
is lack of adequate sleep.

Nightmares vs. Sleep Terrors
A nightmare is simply a disturbing dream.

Sleep terrors, on the other hand, fall
under the category of sleep disorders or
parasomnias. While we still have a lot to
learn about them, explains Hawkins, sleep
terrors are thought to result from the
sympathetic nervous system’s fight-or-flight
response, wherein a child physically reacts
to anxiety during slow-wave sleep. She says
terrors may be related to a dream, although
the jury’s still out.

When a terror strikes, “a child will cry
out, scream out (and) will appear very
agitated, very frightened,” says Hawkins.

Children may also give caregivers a glassy-
eyed stare, mumble or not answer questions
appropriately. Some might even sleepwalk.

“They’re not really aware that you’re
there, and although they actually seem to be
awake, they’re actually usually very deeply
asleep,” she says.

While terrors can be painful for a parent
to watch, Hawkins says they aren’t as bad as
they seem.

“A sleep terror is actually much less
upsetting for a child than a typical
nightmare would be, which is ironic,
because for the parent, it’s going to be much
more upsetting,” says Hawkins.

After a child has a bad dream, Bautista
and Hawkins recommend offering
reassurance. Young children may need
physical comfort, Bautista says. A security
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T he first time my daughter experienced
a sleep terror, I was terrified.

Our typically happy preschooler
was crying out, hands shaking and eyes
wide open. I tried to comfort her, but she
continued frantically searching for me —
even though I was standing in front of her.

I didn’t know that she couldn’t see me
because she was actually still asleep.

Whether it’s anxious slumber, nightmares
or a full-fledged terror, sleep disturbances
are unsettling for children and caregivers.

Fortunately, parents can learn strategies to
help their little ones get back to sleep and
prevent the scaries from returning.




object or a dim nightlight can also be helpful.

When your child has a sleep terror, trying
to interfere can make things worse. Instead,
wait it out and make sure the space is safe and
secure in case they start walking.

Preventing Bad Dreams
— DR. MELODY HAWKINS, PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT SLEEP CENTER
Another useful exercise is letting kids use art
to put their bad dreams to rest, so to speak.

Ask them to “draw a picture of the bad dream
and crumple it up and throw it in the trash,”
she says. “It’s a symbolic way of saying, ‘I’m
done with that.’”
Children can also write down their
dream with an alternative happy ending,
says Hawkins.

Conversely, sleep terrors don’t need to
be brought up, since children usually don’t
remember them. However, if terrors or bad
dreams begin interfering with daily life,
Bautista and Hawkins recommend speaking
with a pediatrician or sleep specialist to get
some help.

These days, my daughter still experiences
infrequent terrors, but now I have the tools to
help. I can rest a bit easier each night knowing
that we’re doing what we can to make sure she
has an uneventful night. n
Laura Boycourt is a freelance writer and
journalist living in Virginia. When she’s not
meeting deadlines, she enjoys playing sports and
exploring the great outdoors with her husband
and two daughters. You can find her on
Twitter @BoycourtWrites.

RIDOFRANZ/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
To reduce bad dreams, Hawkins and Bautista
say that it’s essential that children get enough
sleep. They also suggest avoiding the scary
or disturbing triggers that have previously
caused nightmares.

Bautista adds that putting down technology
and sticking to good bedtime habits can go a
long way. “We tend to recommend not using
electronic devices or screens two hours before
bedtime,” she says. Instead, she suggests
opting for relaxing stories and avoiding
any overstimulation.

Hawkins says one way to prevent sleep
terrors in children who experience them often
is to wake them up an hour and a half after
they’ve fallen asleep to “disrupt that initial
slow-wave sleep period.”
If your child has a nightmare, Hawkins
recommends discussing it the next morning.

“A SLEEP TERROR IS ACTUALLY MUCH LESS
UPSETTING FOR A CHILD THAN A TYPICAL
NIGHTMARE WOULD BE, WHICH IS IRONIC,
BECAUSE FOR THE PARENT, IT’S GOING TO BE
MUCH MORE UPSETTING.”
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