Being chased or attacked in a dream is quite scary for any individual, especially a child. And these nightmares are actually quite common. After all, how many times have you woken up from one of them feeling anxious and helpless, yet relieved once you've discovered the experience wasn't real. These dreams are our way of sorting out a conflict we're dealing with in everyday life, and this type of internal struggle is similar for children. They may be reacting to a perceived or real threat (e.g., a school bully or a mean sibling) or an obstacle to getting something they want.

The bed as a dream symbol can have multiple meanings. A child may be scared of the space under the bed, because like a closet, it can be a lurking ground for the infamous boogie man and all sorts of villains and monsters. It's a dark, scary area that represents the unknown. So in a nightmare, something terrifying might emerge from the shadows beneath the bed because a child feels defenseless when she's asleep. On the flip and positive side, the bed is also a comforting place, where mom and dad tuck the child in at night and where they tell stories. So in a dream, a bed could also reflect a secure feeling. In addition, during adolescence the bed could have a sensual connotation.

Poisonous creatures are viewed as extremely threatening because they can inflict bodily harm and can cause even further damage, sometimes deadly, with the venom they release. A snake's bite can represent a deep emotional wound, probably from hurtful words. The snake itself could also symbolize someone or a situation your child doesn't trust. (It's not surprising that the snake would be a symbol of distrust: It has biblical origins in the story of Adam and Eve to represent the oppositional forces of good and evil, and the phrase "He's a snake" is commonly used to describe a person who is sneaky.)

Dreams of war, like other dreams involving destruction and disaster, may occur when a child is dealing with a troubling transition in life--a crisis (e.g. parents divorcing). By the same token, if the child is exposed to lots of arguing, hostility, or tension, these images of destruction could pop up.

A street--whether it's unfamiliar or familiar but unusual looking--could be one of the many settings for being lost or searching for something that is missing in a dream. Consider how you feel when you're lost in real life. You may feel confused and desperate to find your way. You could even feel scared. Likewise, these are the range of helpless emotions a child's expresses in a dream about being lost. The lighting in this dreamscape could also be dark, even pitch black, signifying that's it's hard to see what to do. What the child does in these dreams and whether she perseveres and is able to find what's lost or is able to get to a safe destination is also significant, as is whether or not she gives up, thereby losing hope.