Scary dreams . Arouse your child from nightmares and assure him that you are there and that you won't let anything harm him. Keep in mind that it seems very real to the child, and encourage her to tell you about the dream. Frequent nightmares can be caused by scary or violent TV shows. Be sure to monitor your child's viewing.
Night terrors occur when a child is caught between two stages of sleep.
A typical episode involves screaming, crying, and shaking uncontrollably, and can last from one to forty minutes. Waking your child during a night terror will likely scare him more than help him. Instead, stay nearby to reassure her if she should wake up. If his night terrors happen at the same time every night, try waking him up and keeping him out of bed for five minutes before the time an episode typically begins. I'm scared of the dark.