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Sleep Disorder: Nightmares: Treatment & Medication
Updated: Feb 25, 2008
- Overview
- Differential Diagnoses & Workup
- Treatment & Medication
- Follow-up
Treatment
Medical Care
- Reassurance
- Reassurance is the only treatment required for sporadic nightmares. Although all stressors cannot be removed from a child's life, parents can attempt to make bedtime a safe and comfortable time.
- Encourage parents to spend time reading, relaxing, and talking with the child.
- If the child has a recurring nightmare, instructing parents to encourage the child to imagine a good ending may help.
Consultations
Psychological evaluation is indicated for patients whose nightmares occur more than twice a week over a period of several months.
Medication
Medications are neither helpful nor indicated.
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| Overview: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares |
| Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares |
Treatment & Medication: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares |
| Follow-up: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares |
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References
DiMario FJ Jr, Emery ES 3rd. The natural history of night terrors. Clin Pediatr (Phila). Oct 1987;26(10):505-11. [Medline].
Leung AK, Robson WL. Nightmares. J Natl Med Assoc. Mar 1993;85(3):233-5. [Medline].
Dahl RE. The pharmacologic treatment of sleep disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. Mar 1992;15(1):161-78. [Medline].
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].
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].
Siegel JM. Why we sleep. Sci Am. Nov 2003;289(5):92-7. [Medline].
Wise MS. Parasomnias in children. Pediatr Ann. Jul 1997;26(7):427-33. [Medline].
Further Reading
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
Treatment & Medication: Sleep Disorder: Nightmares