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Having nightmares or night terrors is something
which all children seem to go through at some stage as they are growing
up , and having the odd nightmare or night terror is usually nothing to
be concerned about and are something which can be brought on by numerous
factors. In fact they are the number one cause of all sleep problems in
young children and one which can cause the child a great deal of distress.
Night terrors
Night terrors occur less commonly than nightmares and are totally different
from nightmares, the child who has night terrors will be wide-awake and
will appear frightened, they may be sweating, breathing heavily or have
constricted breathing and may insist of seeing things or objects that
are not there.
This period of terror can last for several minutes after which the child
usually settles back down and goes back to sleep, once being reassured
by parents. The main difference besides the child being awake during night
terrors is the fact that children more often than not won't remember what
has happened during this period of time.
Nightmares
Nightmares are a very common occurrence in young children and the child
who suffers from them will suddenly wake up very distressed and remember
vividly what happened during the nightmare, some children remember so
vividly that parents have trouble getting them to believe it was only
a nightmare and they are indeed quite safe. Very occasionally, nightmares
can be a sign of stress in the child's life and can be brought about by
family problems such as divorce.
What are the causes of nightmares and night terrors?
Usually the exact reason for the night terrors or nightmares cannot be
established, if there are problems in the family or if the child is of
an age where they attend school then problems associated with school can
be a factor in nightmares, though they are not usually associated with
night terrors.
Very occasionally older brothers or sisters can play a part in causing
night terrors, for example if they have told the younger sibling that
the "bogey man" lives in the cupboard or under the bed.
Usually most children grow out of night terrors and nightmares if there
are no clearly defined factors causing them. Only in very rare cases,
for instance if the nightmares or night terrors are causing severe problems
with sleeping patterns or if sleepwalking is a factor is medical intervention
required.
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