Nightmares

Nightmares are common in children aged three to six years. Most children grow out of them.

Nightmares usually occur later in the night and cause strong feelings of terror, fear, distress or anxiety. Your child may wake up and be able to remember and describe the dream to you.

Nightmares in childrencan becaused by a frightening experience, such as watching a scary film, or by something that's worrying them.

What you should do

Talk to your child to find out whetheranything is worrying them that could be triggering their nightmares. As with night terrors, making sure your child has a relaxing bedtime routine will also help.

Take your child to see your GPifthey're having repeated nightmares (a series of nightmares with a recurring theme). If your child's nightmares are being caused by a stressful past experience, they may need counselling .

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018