Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the new therapy method for treating kids with nightmares

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

For 1 in 6 children with mental health challenges, being too scared to fall asleep knowing that terrifying nightmares await is a daily reality.

Research published in the journal Frontiers in Sleep this week offers new hope with a new therapy showing a reduction in the frequency and distress caused by nightmares, which helped the children to sleep more peacefully through the night.

Children who suffer from nightmares often dread going to sleep and sleep poorly which can make them tired and irritable during the day and lead to behavioural problems.

1. First each child received a box containing “boggle goggles” that simulate the effects of sleep deprivation and fabric pens to decorate pillowcases with happy thoughts they want to dream about.

2 .Cognitive behavioural therapy was combined with relaxation strategies, mindfulness, stress management, and visualisation to help children reshape their dream patterns.

3. The children were taught that they have the power to control their dreams and asked to create plans for 'changing the channel' if a nightmare occurs, helping them return to sleep calmly.

The trial involved 46 children aged 6 to 17, all of whom had experienced persistent nightmares for at least six months.

The results found:

Significant reductions in nightmares and their associated distress.

Improved ability to sleep through the night.

A decrease in suicidal thoughts tied to nightmares, a crucial finding given the known link between nightmares and youth suicidality.

While five children in each group reported suicidal thoughts at the start of the trial, only one child in the therapy group reported these thoughts at the end, compared to four in the control group. The study’s success was the first time a randomised clinical trial was used to test a nightmare therapy for children rather than adults and marks an exciting leap in children’s mental health care. By addressing nightmares directly, this therapy opens up new possibilities for improving the lives of children and their families.

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