eMedicine Specialties > Pediatrics: Developmental and Behavioral > Medical Topics

Sleep Disorder: Nightmares: Follow-up

Author: Kevin P Connelly, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Emergency Care, Virginia Commonwealth University; Medical Director, Paws for Health Pet Visitation Program
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Feb 25, 2008

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care is not indicated.

Patient Education

  • Reassure parents and patients that, in most cases, nightmares are sporadic. If a child experiences nightmares following a severe traumatic incident, or if nightmares occur more than twice a week over a period of several months, psychiatric intervention can help. Although not all everyday stressors can be removed, parents can strive to make bedtime a safe and comfortable time by spending time reading and relaxing with the child.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Sleep Disorders Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Disorders That Disrupt Sleep (Parasomnias), Night Terrors, and REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Failure to obtain an adequate history may lead to an incorrect diagnosis and unnecessary testing.
  • Failure to adequately educate the parents concerning the benign nature of the problem and its final outcome may lead to excessive anxiety and a search for an alternative cure.
 


More on Sleep Disorder: Nightmares

Overview: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares
Treatment & Medication: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares
Follow-up: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares
References
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References

  1. DiMario FJ Jr, Emery ES 3rd. The natural history of night terrors. Clin Pediatr (Phila). Oct 1987;26(10):505-11. [Medline].

  2. Leung AK, Robson WL. Nightmares. J Natl Med Assoc. Mar 1993;85(3):233-5. [Medline].

  3. Dahl RE. The pharmacologic treatment of sleep disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. Mar 1992;15(1):161-78. [Medline].

  4. Guilleminault C, Palombini L, Pelayo R, Chervin RD. Sleepwalking and sleep terrors in prepubertal children: what triggers them?. Pediatrics. Jan 2003;111(1):e17-25. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  5. Ipsiroglu OS, Fatemi A, Werner I, Paditz E, Schwarz B. Self-reported organic and nonorganic sleep problems in schoolchildren aged 11 to 15 years in Vienna. J Adolesc Health. Nov 2002;31(5):436-42. [Medline].

  6. Siegel JM. Why we sleep. Sci Am. Nov 2003;289(5):92-7. [Medline].

  7. Wise MS. Parasomnias in children. Pediatr Ann. Jul 1997;26(7):427-33. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

sleep disorder, anxiety dream, terrifying dream, parasomnias, nightmare, night mare, incubus, rapid eye movement, REM, non-REM, nonrapid eye movement, mental retardation, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Kevin P Connelly, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Emergency Care, Virginia Commonwealth University; Medical Director, Paws for Health Pet Visitation Program
Kevin P Connelly, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and American Osteopathic Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Chet Johnson, MD, Medical Director, Child Development Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
Chet Johnson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine.com, Inc
Disclosure: Pfizer Inc Stock Investment from broker recommendation; Avanir Pharma Stock Investment from broker recommendation

CME Editor

Carrie Sylvester, MD, MPH, Director of Education in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School
Carrie Sylvester, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Women's Association, American Psychiatric Association, and American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Caroly Pataki, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Division Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Director of Training, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Caroly Pataki, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York Academy of Sciences, and Physicians for Social Responsibility
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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