Frightening dreams that usually force at least a partial awakening. Nightmares are experienced by almost all children at one time or another; one out of every four children has nightmares more than once a week. Most children have nightmares between the ages of three or four and seven or eight, which seem to be a part of normal development and do not generally signal a mental problem.
Most nightmares occur late during the sleep cycle. Nightmare themes may vary widely from child to child, and from time to time for the same child, but the most common theme is being chased. Children are commonly chased by an animal or some fantasy figure. The nightmares of early childhood probably reflect the struggle to learn to deal with normal childhood fears and problems. Many children also experience nightmares after they have suffered a traumatic event, such as surgery, the loss of a loved one, or a severe accident.
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