You wake up in the middle of the night because you hear your child screaming. You rush to his room and see him sitting upright in his bed, startled and wet with sweat. Every child has the occasional nightmare, it cannot be prevented but you, as a parent, can reassure your child and make them feel safe. How to do this we will tell you in this blog.
What causes a nightmare?
Almost all children suffer from nightmares from time to time. More often than adults even, with a peak at the age of five or six. Because toddlers cannot yet tell the difference between dreams and reality, nightmares can make your child anxious. As your child grows older, the frequency of nightmares will decrease.
The causes of nightmares are not immediately known, but it is clear that in the dream world of a child, much of what has happened during the day is processed. In addition, there are certain triggers that can increase the chance of nightmares. For example, nightmares are often a consequence of exciting or stressful events, a busy day or an unpleasant experience. A fever can also be a trigger for a bad dream.
What can you do?
As a parent, you cannot prevent your child from having a nightmare, but you can support him.It is important that you yourself remain calm, even if your child is very upset. This will show your confidence and will help to calm your child down.