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From: suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Re: Small Children and Nightmares
Message-ID: <1031@terak.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-Jan-86 12:19:13 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.1031
Posted: Fri Jan 31 12:19:13 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Feb-86 05:29:15 EST
References: <2845@wateng.UUCP> <765@gamma.UUCP>
Organization: Calcomp Display Products Division, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 42

> I'm interested to know if any parents out there have small children you have
> nightmares and are afraid to go to sleep at night.  I have a 5 year old who
> all of a sudden is afraid to go to sleep.  Every night for about 2 weeks she
> ...
> Is there anyone out there who has gone through this?  Is there anything else
> I can do to make her feel secure.  Is this a passing phase that all children go
> through.  Thanks in advance for your help.
> 
>             Barbara Charles

Last summer my 5 and 6 year old stepkids went through a
similar experience, though I don't believe it was quite as bad
as you describe. After a lot of comforting and questioning, I
finally found out that the little boy next door had been
telling them a scary story. (I found it scary, and I'm an
adult!) Anyway, after Danny told them the story, John dreamed
about it, apparently woke Annie up (either on purpose for
comfort and company, or accidentally) and told her his dream.
After that they BOTH had some variety of the dream for a
couple of weeks.

I think their talking it out with us "adults" helped their
fear, plus our reassurances that it wasn't real, but yes the
ideas were scary. The problem went away after a few weeks.

Try talking to your child. It may take several tries. Get her
to tell you what is scaring her. Treat it as a real fear, not
imaginary.

Diet (especially evening foods) may be causing indigestion
that is causing bad dreams. Something that is going on during
the day may be causing them. If you can't find a reason, check
with your pediatrician. S/he has probably dealt with similar
problems and may have some suggestions. Consider that the
child may have been abused in some way. Children often feel
guilt over such, and that could cause nightmares.
-- 
Suzanne Barnett-Scott
uucp:	 ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze
CalComp/Sanders Display Products Division
14151 N 76th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(602) 998-4800