Nightmares: how to support a child?

Young children often have scary dreams. Nightmares can indicate that the child is tired, overexcited, sick, or may be a sign of psychological trauma.

How to help your child overcome night terrors? Tips from Ministry of Health of Ukraine

• Don't try to wake your child up during a nightmare. It's best not to touch or hug a child who is twitching or screaming in their sleep. The child may not recognize you and become even more frightened.
• If your child is already awake, make sure they recognize you and understand where they are. Ask them their name, your name, and the name of their pet.
• Reassure your child that you are here, that everything is okay. Your calm presence helps your child feel safe.
• Tell your child that they had a bad dream, but it's over now. You could say something like, "You had a bad dream, but now you're awake and everything's fine."
• Child psychologist Svetlana Royz advises, after waking up, to help the child defeat those enemies or monsters that haunted him in his sleep. To disperse them with his hands, an imaginary sword or a spray bottle. It is important that the child himself participates in these actions - to deal with the horrors himself.

Source: Freepik

• If the child doesn't want to tell you exactly what they dreamed about, don't insist.
• Help your child fall back asleep. Offer something that will calm your child and help them fall back asleep: a favorite stuffed toy, blanket, pillow, nightlight, bedtime story, or soft music. Or discuss some sweet dreams your child would like to have.
• If your child is afraid of falling asleep again, a nightlight in the room or a light in the hallway can help them feel safe. You can also place a flashlight by the bed so that your child can use it to ward off nightmares.
• Children often want to share their dreams in the morning. When a child talks about the dream, perhaps draws or writes about it in the daylight, the frightening images lose their power. It is very good if the child can talk about, draw or write a happy ending to his disturbing dream.

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Most children have nightmares from time to time, and they usually outgrow them. If nightmares occur very often and keep your child from getting a good night's sleep, if they affect how your child behaves during the day, or if they have dreams related to a traumatic experience, seek help from your family doctor or a psychologist.

The publication was developed within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program initiated by the First Lady Olena Zelenska.

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