Has anyone dealt with toddler nightmares?

[EloiseWeenie]

At 12:30 last night, my husband and I woke up to what sounded like screams of death. My son (3 years) was hysterical. He said there were flames all over his bed and on his arms and legs. Whatever we did, we couldn't get him to believe that his bed wasn't on fire.

We brought him to our bed, and for over an hour and half we were trying to convince him that there was no fire in our bed. I tried explaining what a dream was, but he still isn't getting it. He is terrified to even go in his room. As I was making his bed, I was showing him all of his blankets (since he swore they were black from being burnt). He wouldn't come in his room, he uneasily stood in the doorway.

Anyone have a toddler that has nightmares? How do you deal with it? It was so upsetting to see him trembling for hours and scared to fall asleep.

[Deleted]

She has nightmares sometimes where it takes her 10 minutes or so to calm down, but never that bad! Poor thing!