Nightmares, for the most part, occur in children at an early age. Sleep disorders in children can manifest in different ways: as a partial disorder or as a disease - parasomnia. Fears are manifested in the first phase of deep sleep, i.e. in the first hour after the child fell asleep.
If a child sees a nightmare in a dream, then his body is tense and elongated, at times one can observe a reflex change in position. For example, he can sit in bed. Very often the child at such moments begins to cry inconsolably or just scream. This behavior is associated with the inconsistency of different parts of the brain. In this case, it is possible to observe a slowing of motor activity against the background of high instability of the process of relaxation of physiological reactions.
What is a nightmare?
On children's nightmares can not be waved and say that this is just a child's fantasy or the speculation of caring parents. It is a hallucinatory physiological phenomenon, when the child's brain is in an overexcited state and can not switch to the stage of inhibition. As a result - increased mental excitability in the first hours, when the child has a phase of deep sleep.
Approximately one third of children who suffer from nightmares experience increased motor activity. Being in a panic, a child can swing his arms and kick his legs, try to get up, while he does not leave the phase of deep sleep. Over time, the child can form such diseases as sleepwalking or parasomnia.
This state of the child can be described as the desire to move, while in a dream state. During movement, the eyes can be opened very widely, and the pupils are expanded and without any reaction to any movements. To wake up at such a moment the child is difficult enough, he does not recognize anyone from those present nearby, does not orient himself in space and generally can not understand where he is at this moment.
The primary nightly fears of a child last for a time, usually about 15-20 minutes. The baby at this moment raises blood pressure, pulse quickens, sweating is also increased; The child breathes jerky and very often; eye movements are fast. Then the excitation passes into the stage of deep sleep. Unheeded nightmares in a child are only once a night. Having woken up, the child hardly will recollect, that with it something occured or happened at night.
Nightmares in a child - this is not a hereditary disease, they are not due to genetic factors. Provoke nightmares can mismatch mental and physical development, as well as severe functional diseases of certain systems and organs. It happens that nightly nightmares are a precursor of mental illness.
Nightmares can occur in a child of any age. But most often such cases are recorded in the age group from three to five years. And most of all the boys suffer from this. The full release of nightmares and fears occurs by the age of twelve.
Why do we have nightmares?
Nightmares at night in children - this is a completely normal physiological process of the undeveloped and immature nervous system. Confusion in falling asleep and awakening can be caused by various stressful situations, for example, when the baby is very tired. Also, can trigger and any changes that are introduced into the regular schedule of wakefulness and sleep of the baby. Manifestation of a nightmare can and because of the fullness of the bladder. Fear at night, which is not manifested in childhood, but already in adolescence or in an adult, is an alarming sign, often associated with head trauma or with sleep disorders due to stress.
Whatever the manifestations of nocturnal fears provoked, an experienced specialist can determine their true cause. After that, he will appoint an effective treatment, as well as a course of rehabilitation.
Often nightmares at night in the child pass independently after the mode of a dream and rest is corrected. However, sometimes nighttime fears are still a reason to call a doctor.