Nightmares are scary dreams that awaken a child. Occasional bad dreams are normal at all ages after about 6 months of age. When infants have a nightmare, they cry and scream until someone comes to them. When preschoolers have a nightmare, they usually cry and run into their parent's bedroom. Older children begin to understand what a nightmare is and put themselves back to sleep without bothering their parents.

Dreams help the mind process complicated happenings or information. The content of nightmares usually relates to developmental challenges: toddlers have nightmares about separation from their parents; preschoolers, about monsters or the dark; and school-age children, about death or real dangers. Frequent nightmares may be caused by violent TV shows or movies.

Suggestions
Reassure and cuddle your child. Explain to your child that she was having a bad dream. Sit on the bed until your child is calm. Most children return to sleep fairly quickly.

Offer to leave the bedroom door open and to provide a night-light. Help your child talk about the bad dreams during the day. Your child probably won't remember what the dream was about unless you can remind him of something he said about it when he woke up. If your child has the same bad dream over and over again, help him imagine a good ending to the bad dream. Encourage your child to use a strong person or a magic weapon to help him overcome the bad parts in the dream. You may want to help your child draw pictures of the new ending for the dream.

Avoid R-rated movies and violent parts of TV news until the child is old enough to handle the content. And, of course, get rid of any TV in the child's bedroom.