A bout of toddler nightmares is disturbing a worried parent's sleep as much as the toddler's. Our parenting expert Dr Pat Spungin offers advice.

Raisingkids member's problem
We have a 17 month old boy (and a three-yr-old girl). Both thankfully have always been good sleepers. However, our 17-month-old has suddenly started crying at night time. However, every time we go in to him, he is asleep. When he has a bad night he does this almost every hour, which of course wakes us up, but not himself. Any idea what could be causing this? Things crossing our minds are bad dreams, teething, problems urinating? But he's not ill, no temperature, no problems in the day time, doesn't feel like there is anything illness-wise. If he is having a bad dream, could this affect him in this way? Is it better to wake him up and break the dream?

Dr Spungin's advice
It doesn't appear to be night terrors when the child seems to be very afraid and often is staring at something despite being asleep. It sounds more like sleep talking which doesn't usually take place during REM sleep (i.e. when your child is dreaming).

It seems as if he is crying during periods of light sleep and it may be he is uncomfortable (teething perhaps). If it has just started and he was previously been a good sleeper, then I think that it will pass. I wouldn't wake him up as you could set up a whole new pattern of wakefulness during the night.

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