You may have seen your child move their legs or arms, or even noticed that they feel anxious while sleeping. It's natural to wonder if nightmares exist in babies, or to wonder what might be going on in their little heads while they sleep!
There is no such thing as nightmares in babies
Be relieved, children do not have nightmares when they are very young. But why? The explanation is simple: the brain mechanisms that control sleep are not yet fully developed. So why do babies wake up crying? It's because the sleep phases are suddenly interrupted or overlap, causing them to wake up in the middle of the night. This is perfectly normal and not serious.
As your child grows, nightmares may occur. In fact, they're even normal as your child's sleep matures, and unless they're very recurrent, they shouldn't be a cause for concern. After all, adults have nightmares too.
When do nightmares appear in children?
Nightmares usually appear between the ages of 2 and 4, an age when they are unable to distinguish reality from fiction, which makes them even more anxious, which is often why they have trouble falling back to sleep.
The most common age group is 6 to 10 years old. through nightmares, children reflect the distress they feel about an event they have recently experienced, sometimes on the same day. Just seeing a violent scene on television can be a reason to wake up in the middle of the night.
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How can I get rid of nightmares in children?
Anyone can have a bad night. If it's an isolated case and your child can't sleep through the night, simply stay by his side to reassure him. Explain that it's a nightmare and try to normalize the scene so they don't panic more than necessary. If you tell them that this happens to you sometimes, they'll understand that it's perfectly normal to have fears.
Try asking your little one to draw their dream but change the ending to one they prefer. This technique will help them overcome their discomfort and also give them confidence to face their fears. Ultimately, nightmares are stories and the great thing about stories is that they can be reinvented to make you smile.
But if the nightmares are recurring every night and even affecting their daytime activity, you'll need to take it a step further and see your pediatrician.
Healthy sleep without nightmares in babies
Now that you know that there are no nightmares at such an early age, don't worry if you notice your little one making sudden movements of the legs, arms or making faces. These are perfectly normal, and if your baby wakes up slightly, he or she will be able to fall back to sleep without any complications.
In any case, the best thing you can do is to set up his room so that he feels comfortable and sleeps better. This environment will allow him to feel perfectly reassured.
At Kadolis, we offer to create a peaceful room for your child, a room where he can sleep, but also play, learn and grow in peace. In short, to be the happiest child in the world!
To create a playful room conducive to the imagination, we propose the Calvi Tipi bed. Based on the Montessori method, it is ideal for the transition from a baby bed to a "90 cm child bed". Do you know its advantages?
- It is perfect for developing the imagination of children.
- It allows the child to create his own dream corner, decorating his Tipi as he wishes with sheets, garlands or drawings.
- This bed close to the ground allows the child to lie down and get up by himself, feeling more independent.
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