Nightmares and What to Do about Them

If your child exhibits two or more of the following symptoms, he or she probably has just had a nightmare, an episode of abrupt awakening from sleep in a state of anxiety. Characteristically, the child recalls having dreamed and the fearful events that were disturbing. The distinction between nightmares and unpleasant dreams is simply a matter of degree.

• Child awakens upset, crying, and frightened.
• Child rarely screams (in contrast to night terrors).
• Child is shocked or anxious (but not in panic or terror).
• Child makes slight or moderate movements, not wild flinging about.
• Child does not perspire.
• Child recalls a bad dream, often of a wild animal, villain, or monster in pursuit.
• Child's dream recall is elaborate (often more than a single image).
• Child may confuse dream and reality, yet is not insistently hallucinatory; is coherent.
• Child may have difficulty describing feelings and fears.
• Child realizes dream caused awakening.
• Child responds to effort to calm; accepts reassurance.
• Child has been asleep for some time, about half the night.
• Child may have nightmare at any age, but is often older; average between seven and ten years.
• Child still recalls nightmare in the morning.