Things that Go Bump in the Night

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Nightmares and night terrors can be frightening to both the children who experience them and their parents. Learn what causes nightmares and what you can do to encourage sweet dreams.

My son used to be a quiet sleeper. My husband and I would put him in bed at night and we wouldn't hear a peep until morning. But as he neared age four, we began to hear strange cries and screams coming from his bedroom in the middle of the night. In the morning, he would recount stories of "monsters," and "a huge lizard that ate our house." He was having nightmares.

What Causes Nightmares?

Though nightmares can be scary for both child and parent, they are actually a normal part of childhood. Anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of children have regular nightmares, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

A child can have a nightmare during any stage of sleep, but nightmares are most likely to occur during rapid-eye-movement (REM), the sleep stage in which most dreams occur.

A nightmare is often nothing more than a nighttime manifestation of a child's response to a scary situation or stressful event. A child may dream about ghosts and witches after watching a Halloween television special, for example. Or, a child may dream that his father has died because his parents are separating and he's terrified that his father is going to live somewhere else.

Soothing Away a Scary Dream

If your child has the occasional nightmare, you don't really need to do much more than soothe her fears and tuck her back into bed. You can also try talking through the dream the next morning and "rewriting" it to give it a happy ending. A nightmare can be a lot less scary to your child once she's shared the experience with an adult.

Because scary television programs and movies can trigger nightmares, carefully monitor what your child watches, especially around bedtime.

In most cases, nightmares will resolve themselves on their own as your child grows, but if the nightmares become frequent or intense to the point that they're interfering with your child's daily routine, ask your pediatrician for guidance.

Night Terrors

Witnessing a night terror can be more traumatic for a parent than it is for the child involved. You may hear a blood curdling scream and find your child sitting bolt upright in bed. He may stare right at you with wide open eyes, yet seem not to see you. In the morning, he won't be able to remember his night terror as he might have remembered a nightmare.

Night terrors affect a very small percentage (one to four percent) of children and young adolescents. They tend to happen earlier in the night than nightmares. Night terrors are most often triggered by sleep deprivation—a missed nap or delayed bedtime, for example.

Even though your child appears to be awake during a night terror episode, he is probably still asleep. "You won't be able to awaken your child, so don't try to," advises Dr. Barton Schmitt, MD, professor of Pediatrics at The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and author of the book Your Child's Health. "Turn on the light so that your child is less confused by shadows. Make soothing comments such as, 'You are all right. You are home in your own bed. You can rest now.' Speak calmly and repetitively."

If your child has frequent night terrors, Dr. Schmitt recommends that you try a repetitive waking technique. Write down the time your child goes to bed each night; then make a record of how many minutes elapse before the night terror begins. After a few nights, when you've figured out an average time, try waking up your child 15 minutes before the night terror usually starts. Keep him awake for five minutes. Repeat the pattern every night for about a week.

If the night terrors continue, consider making an appointment with your pediatrician. Chances are the terrors are a passing phase, but a meeting with your child's pediatrician can quell your concerns as well as catch any health issues that may be contributing to your child's problem.

Also, be sure to see the pediatrician if your child appears to be having a seizure (jerking or drooling) during a night terror, if the episodes last longer than 30 minutes, or if they continue for several weeks. Any of these signs could indicate a more serious problem.