How to treat a child who often dreams at night?

Patient's question:

My child had another nightmare last night, and it seems like he keeps having dreams where he's being wronged, crying very hard because of it. I've tried comforting him, but it doesn't help. I really don't know what to do? My partner also dreams a lot. I was wondering if there's a way to treat it, or if there's something we can adjust? First follow-up question: My child is only 8 months old, and he already dreams so much. Could you please give us a suitable solution? Is dreaming hereditary?

Doctor's answer:

Hello
Below are some reference materials for you:
Dreaming Much
Everyone dreams. But most people forget their dreams soon after waking up, leaving behind only some lingering sensations. Those who still clearly remember their dreams upon waking are either of poor sleep quality or are "dreaming much."
Why do insomnia patients always claim to dream excessively?
It’s common to hear people say, "I didn’t rest well last night and dreamed all night" or "I dream a lot at night, as if I didn’t really sleep." As a result, they often feel sluggish and lacking in energy during the day, as if the dreams truly disrupted their rest. Some doctors, following traditional beliefs, acknowledge that excessive dreaming indicates the brain hasn’t rested properly. However, this old notion is incorrect. Dreaming and remembering dreams are not indicators of shallow sleep, nor does dreaming mean one hasn’t slept well. As mentioned earlier, dreaming is a universal physiological phenomenon. Whether you recall dreams or not, or whether you feel dream-like sensations, you inevitably experience 4–5 dream cycles each night. Claiming to "dream all night" is exaggerated, while saying "not to have dreamed" is unrealistic. It’s also meaningless to discuss how many dreams are "too many." Studies on chronic insomnia patients who complain of excessive dreaming or "dreaming all night" have been conducted both domestically and internationally. Objective physiological tests, including brainwave recordings and research using various instruments, have shown that these patients’ sleep cycles are no different from those of normal individuals. The proportion and actual time spent in the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phase, which is associated with dreaming, also show no significant shortening or prolongation. "Dreaming all night"