Do you need to calm down a baby with nightmares?
As a parent, you've probably already experienced rough nights. Everyone sleeps peacefully when, suddenly,your baby starts crying. You rush to his bedside and you realize that he still sleeps. you realize thatyour child has had a nightmare.
Rest assured: it is quite normal for children to have nightmares (like adults). sometimes,it can turn into night terror.
Is that serious? And how do I react? We tell you everything.
What is a baby nightmare?
Early childhood specialists believe thatnightmares begin to arrive around 18 months. Although sometimes impressive, these dreams are quite normal for children and adults. They're a way to our brainssorting information and interpreting different moments of the day to help to better understand and confront them.
An integral part of the psycho-affective development of our bambins, dreaming of a monster makes it possible to symbolize its fears in order to learn to face them. in this case, you understand thathaving nightmares at night is pretty healthy.
Moreover, children tend to have more nightmares than adults. The reason is simple: they discover the world around them over time and it requires to record many information. thedream during sleep is then a learning tool.
What is the difference between a nightmare and a night terror?
Whilethe nightmare is the most effective way found by the brain to fight stresscaused by the many new situations experienced by the small,night terror is rather related to real anxiety. Although not dangerous to the child, they are still to be monitored, as they may be related to "abnormal" underlying causes.
: Night terrors tend tomanifest during the first part of the night. If your child is subject to it, he can scream or scream. it can also be disoriented, sitting in his bed and having eyes open, but a look in the void. sometimes even, we notice that some children develop aggression.
Generally speaking, it is observed thatnight terrors would be linked to a usual change generating stress(e.g. moving to school, or separation of parents). This can also occur in case of high fever.
Note: it seems thatnight terrors would be hereditary. so, if someone from the family were subject to this type of phenomenon during childhood, it may be that your bambin may havepredispositions to also live this type of situation.
How can we act in the event of a nightmare or night terror?
First, it is necessary to put in placedodo rituals that allow your toddler to sleeping serenement. This is the role of the famous story before bedtime. After the story, you get a hug and kisses, you turn on the day before and turn off the light. Regardless of the order chosen, it must be held as often as possible.This type of ritual reassures your child and greatly affects his sleep quality.
If the child wakes up in the middle of the night, it takes firstidentify if you are dealing with a simple nightmare or night terror. if it’s a nightmare andif the child at the age of telling you, ask him to do it. Give him a hug and tell him it’s okay and he can go to sleep peacefully. if needed, you caninstall an object such as a catch-up to help him fight his fear.
In the case of a night terror, it is necessary at all costs to avoid waking it. experts say that this type of behavior would look like sleepwalking. and it is well known that we should not wake the sleepwalkers. In this case, to calm your cherubim, start by caressing his head and speak to him very low in order to appease it.This phase can last between 5 min and 30 min. Normally, the toddler surrenders and ends his night.
Nightmare and night terror: when do you worry?
As we have specified,nightmares are quite normal manifestations of the child’s subconscious. So there is no reason to worry if your bambin is having nightmares from time to time.Especially if it does not impact its sleep and ability to stay awake on the day. It also applies to night terrors. if it is one-time,they will decrease or disappear over time.
Obviously, nothing prevents you from talking to your doctor if you have any questions or doubts.
That being said, if the nightmares and night terrors are recurring and that it turns into real sleep disorder, you must react.
To start,tell the person who keeps him(if not you obviously) and try to see if everything goes well at the nursery, at school, at the nanny or family. If your child can talk, ask him to explain what's wrong. if nothing is to report on this side, it will be necessaryquestion your own habits and changes in the home.
We must know, indeed, thattoddlers are true sponges and feel the stress of parents.Maybe you have less time to devote her? or something bothering you? If this is the case, your child may not understand your behavior and start having nightmares.
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