My 4 yr old has frequent nightmares and terrors at times HELP

Question

My daughter has nightmares almost every night. I mean EVERY night. She has had a few terrors where she was not even aware of what was going on and had no memory of it the next day, but now they seem to just be nightmares. As I try to console her she just rambles meaningless jumble. She screams and cries for me to stay in the room even though I am there holding her. It takes at least an hour to calm her back to sleep. What should I do? This is going on 5 months at least now. I am open to any serious suggestions? or questions

Answer 1

This happened to my son who just turned 4. After a month, I found out that kids tend to do this if they feel in a comfortable surrounding. So, we went to buy him a cuddly teddy bear, and a night light. We painted his room to a calm blue color. It worked, he stoped having frequent nightmares ever since.

Also every night, read her favourite bed time story, read something that has a silly conflict and a happy ending. Nothing intense.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

go to the doctor i have two sons with them and one boy was with them at age 2 mos they are there and its nothing i could find they were afraid to sleep alone and now they are married and one is still having trouble. its something i beliee is genes or hereditary to you if you talk to family memebers you willfind someone had this also i would talk to doctor now.

Answer 3

Find the source of the problem. Is she watching scary movies? Does she feel threatened by something? Is she surrounded by people she can trust?

Answer 4

Night terrors typically occur when kids are going through development stages, are unsettled by their surroundings, or have over done it physically during the day.  I'd wonder about bed time routine and bed time - is it the same process and time every night?  Does it include bath time?  Does she expend a lot of energy during the day?  (Like running around a playground during the heat of the day?)  Also, would you consider her a 'high energy' kind of kid - the kind that while they can be mellow tempered, really don't have any middle ground (eats hard, plays hard, sleeps hard, etc.).

My middle child (very high energy kid) had night terrors for years and it increased in intensity (and pitch!) during the last few months of pre-K and into the first 6 months of Kindergarten.    

I would suggest cutting out the daily TV - maybe it's 1-2x a week.  

Answer 5

I would take her to a psychologist they can really understand kids. Also try to avoid watching any scary movies. Carefully watch her and make sure everything she watches is good for her. If there's fights at home try to have them in private where she can't hear you. Also try treating her very nicely and try not to yell at her. Hopefully everything gets better!

Answer 6

I had the same problem when I was little. The best thing you can do is be there for her and make sure she knows that everything is ok. Has she been though any trauma, because that's what usually triggers it.

I used to cry and my mom would bring me to the couch and we would talk about the dream or I would just lay there and she would tell me everything is ok. Then I would either go back to sleep or my mom would turn on the tv and we would watch a recording of one of my favorite shows and I would fall asleep to it.

Just let her know that you are there and everything is ok. She'll get through this but it will take time. Make sure she feel comforted at all times no matter how loud she is crying.

Good luck with everything.

Answer 7

u should take her to the doctor or take her to church and ask them why or somethin u should sleep with her like while u sleep with her hug her  

Answer 8

Make sure she don't watch any scary movies before naps or bed, maybe read her a fairytale before bed and if she's still scared you could probably stay in the room with her. If that don't work, let her lay in your bed and when she falls asleep pick her up and carry her to her own room.

Answer 9

give him/her benadryll or sumlike that u can get it at drug stors just ask it relevs nightmares or at a cheaper cost tell her to sleep on her tummy

Answer 10

My little brother also used to have frequent nightmares, then one day my parents figured out that he had sleep apnea which means that they stop breathing in their sleep, which causes nigh mares. First I would watch her while she sleeps and see if she does stop breathing if he does than I would take her to the doctor, he will most likely say that she need her tonsils removed.... that solved it for my brother.

Answer 11

Sounds like more than regular 4 year old nightmares.  I would take her to the doctor.  Have there been any upsets in her life recently?  If so, she is obviously unable to process through them.  i think this is something that is beyond a parent's help.  Good luck.

Answer 12

made bcuz shes a little ***** and needs to stop picking her nose

Answer 13

my mom told me to "not dream about pink bunnies,

and that works  because she will go to bed thinking of that,

because you told her not to,

it sounds weird but its worth a try,

Answer 14

monitor what she is watching, my daughter had nightmares after seeing the bee movie... berenstein bears has a book about nightmares its cute. stress maybe or just her little imagination running wild.  

Answer 15

have you tried sleeping with her in the same bed or puttng her in your bed with you......what is she watching? what is she scared of? is someone threating her? is she wanting somehting she cant have?