My 5y/o has suddenly been experiencing nightmares. no major life changes & it's interfering with sleep 3-4 x's/week. any suggestions on how to help?

I would wait: Sometimes stuff upsets kids and we parents don't ever know what it was. Kids can have nightmares for no real reason at all. I'd wait a while and i bet it gets better. Otherwise, i suggest consulting with your son's pediatrician to see what he or she says. You know that five year old kids should sleep in their own beds and in their own rooms as it is important they learn to "sooth" themselves.

Try This: Dr passer's answer is a good one. A little trick may help the symptoms. Most nightmares occur about the same time every night. Wake your child 30-45 mins beforee the nightmare. Do it 7 nights in a row.Then stop. 75% of the time the nightmares go away.

Child's nightmares: Children may have nightmares for many reasons, eg, stress they can't verbalize, changes in routine. If nightmares persist, speak to pediatrician or a trained child mental health professional for an evaluation. See: https://secure02.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/sleep/nightmare.html# I hope this helps. Best wishes.