Effective Ideas to Deal with Nightmares in a Preschooler

Preschooler nightmares are sadly an all too real problem which can cause a lot of distress and tension in your little one. One has to understand that nightmares can frighten an adult and they can truly be terrifying and real to a preschooler.

It is exceedingly common to see nightmares in preschoolers and the increasingly violent quality of programs and news widespread in the media does not help. Earlier, nightmares simply concerned unknown monsters and vague fears such as parents abandoning them, but these days children face all kinds of nightmares.

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Violence, wars and killings often feature in their nightmares as they have to deal with such images on a regular basis. Growing concern in parents often feeds insecurity and nervousness as preschoolers have an uncanny tendency to pick up on such tension. Prevalent problems in the neighborhood such as increasing number of divorces or burglaries can leave a child with plenty of nightmares.

Dealing with Nightmares in a Preschooler

While dealing with nightmares in a preschooler, it is important to acknowledge that we cannot shelter children from every kind of violence or even from violence in the media. What we can do is limit exposure to such disturbing images and focus on more positive stories and programs on the television. Children need comfort and reassurance which can often only be provided by family members. They need to have common underlying causes for concern, such as abandonment issues, addressed. Often, since children do not express such fears, it is important to address all possible underlying fears.

Nightmares in preschooler should be taken seriously and it helps to immediately reassure the child and let the child know that he or she is safe. Often a night lamp as well as a favorite toy can help these nightmares abate. Preschooler night terrors are also commonly seen and can be a lot more alarming than nightmares. They can be more difficult to deal with considering the fact that it is often difficult for the child to snap awake. Care for night terrors usually takes the form of remaining calm until you find that the night terror has passed. It is important to remain vigilant so that the preschooler does not end up injuring himself or herself while still trapped in a night terror. Since the child is in deep sleep, it would prove best not to frighten the child by shaking him or her awake. Both these night time problems would typically benefit from a comforting bed routine.

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