The childhood nightmares are horrible dreams affecting smaller overnight. They are frequent at the end of the night during the REM sleep when the brain has a significant level of activity.
The childhood nightmares are useful for smaller, in the psychological development, it helps them release tension and conflict mechanism. The nightmares are used to evacuate circumstances are concerned such as the Oedipus complex, jealousy with brothers, anger as their parents or fear of abandonment and will also serve to integrate the most difficult learning such as walking, talking, or the first day of school.
They manifested by screaming or crying child that should reassure talking or petting and if necessary pick him up again to make contact with reality and fall asleep again. We should not turn on the light in the room so he does not wake up at all. During the night, no need to ask him, explain or make him understand, only to try to reconcile the dream as soon as possible.
Children remember the morning of the nightmares that occurred during sleep. The next day should ask about sleep and work very well ask him to draw a picture as it will help to take away with what happened. We must explain that monsters do not exist and try to feel free and loved and confident enough to tell us what bothers him.
If the nightmares lasted more than ten days, should consult a doctor because it would mean that the child has an underlying problem that does not express as it should and disrupts sleep.
The childhood nightmares are not the same as night terrors, manifested at the beginning of the night and the boy cries and hallucinations manifested by the child sweats, breathes very quickly and keeps his eyes open but is asleep and not wake up in spite of that speech and until answered.