10 Ways to Help Children Deal with Nightmares by Dr. Linda Mintle l Children and Sleep l Calming Your Child after a Nightmare l Nightmare Causes

Sarah sat up in bed and began to cry. Another nightmare woke her from a deep sleep. Between the ages of three and six, nightmares occur for two developmental reasons: 1) Fears begin to develop 2) A child’s imagination is very active.

Being overly tired, getting irregular sleep, dealing with stress and anxiety all increase the possibility of nightmares. In rare cases, nightmares can be caused by genetic factors so always check with your pediatrician before assuming cause.

Nightmares are often a way for children to cope with unpleasant events or change in their lives like divorce, a death, beginning school, moving, etc. So if you have a child experiencing nightmares, think about what is going on during a typical day. Here are a few other tips to help a child with nightmares. (Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)