Helping the child establish a positive routine at bedtime can reverse that,'' he says. Have her focus on positive thoughts about the good things that have happened to her that day. Help her feel safe and secure. Often a child who gets night terrors has a small, specific but irrational fear that's worrying her. That can reinforce and perpetuate the problem.
Nightmares Turn on the light.
The child really needs to spend more time with you until he winds down,'' says Dr. Dahl. Break the rules now and then. It's okay to occasionally break the rules if the child is badly frightened,'' says Dr. Dahl, ''though you may have to nip that behavior in the bud before it becomes a bad habit. Children these days are under enormous stress. Often they're watching violent movies or TV programs.