10 1/2 yr old-Nightmares, trouble sleeping

[laurellie]

My 10 1/2 yr old daughter for the last 2-3 months has been waking up with nightmares and wanting to sleep on our bedroom floor.  I have tried to reassure her that she is fine but this has not helped.  I have noticed some coorelation with either local or national news happenings and I am wondering if this could be a source of her sleep disruption and her anxiousness or if there are other underlying problems.  My daughter will talk very little abount her nightmares because she says they are too scary. Others have told me that this could be a way of attention and to not give in to her requests to sleep on the floor of our bedroom-its hard when we all have to be up for work and school.  I was thinking about taking her to talk to someone but don't know if this would help or hurt.  

[alexafd]

A related discussion, Nightmares of a 10 1/2 yr old boy was started.

[laurellie]

Thank you for your comment.  I also wondered if the nightmares and trouble sleeping had anything to do with the onset of puberty since this all began @ 2-3 months before her onset.  I was thinking that maybe the increase in hormones and a child's in-ability to process all information in a logical manner could be the cause. Will continue to work with her on this.

[babyprayers]

My nine year old was doing this for a while.. Pediatrician said could be early start of puberty.. dont ask how the 2 corealate.. it could also be TV some of the cartoons are simply violent.. more then when I was a child.. good luck and hope all works out

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It certainly will not hurt if you arrange for your daughter to have the oportunity to speak with a professional therapist. It could well be that her fear/anxiety rises after she has heard about or watched accounts of troubling events. You can be patient, reasonable and supportive without permitting your daughter to sleep in your room. A compromise at such times is for her to sleep outside your bedroom door if she wishes, and this arrangement will not persist for long.