Why do children have more nightmares than adults?
It’s proven that children have more nightmares than adults. The reason is simple. A new baby is constantly exposed to new images, sensations, smells, sounds and, as a result, strong emotions. It’s only during sleep that the infant eliminates all the information the brain accumulates during the day. Often babies’ main nightmares are of abandonment by the mother, as when the mother leaves her child at nursery in the morning, for example. Up until 5 years of age, the child often has nightmares about ghosts, dragons and being chased by robbers as seen on TV or in books. Some children also dream about conflicts with their bothers and sisters or with their parents. The reason for this is that they do not yet have the words to describe their fear and have difficulty expressing their feelings. But as time passes their language develops and children can explain their emotions and feelings as well as reason with themselves – and they have less and less nightmares. Can you prevent nightmares? Whe
