Can toddlers have nightmares?

[londontj]

My 2.9 yrs dd has woken up crying inconsolably 3 times this week. Doesn't seem to be ill and isn't coming up with the normal requests / excuses but just cries for 30 mins despite cuddles, taking her out of her room etc. She's a great talker and can usually tell me what the problem is but tonight was confused and incoherent - though seemed to be awake. The interweb says nightmares and sleep terrors start later. Anyone had experience of similar?

Yes, not uncontrollable crying, but DD (2.7) def went through a phase of waking and crying and being quite upset. The other day she woke about 3am and said she was being chased by spiders and dragons. So I think they can. Hope she gets through it soon.

My DS is 2 and has night terrors where he screams and screams at different phases, he has them when he has growth spurts, our HV told me it is quite common.
He has also had a couple of nightmares where he talks, once shouting and crying about a spider and another about a bear, had to show him there were no bears in house.

My Ds had night terrors, regularly, and at a regular time, about an hour after going to sleep.
I was told to go in about 10 mins before he usually 'woke up' screaming and gently talk to DS, stroke his hair, hold his hand etc etc (anything comforting) while he was sleeping so it roused him from his dream and he heard me saying 'its ok, mummys here' etc kind of thing. This would break the dream cycle and he would go back to sleep and the bad thoughts gone.
It worked like magic!
I hope this helps.

Oh yes they can, you get lots of sympathy from this household.
Our DD is 2.7 and has had a couple of really scary dreams a week for the last month or so. It takes about half an hour for her to calm down, all she says are 'scary' or 'frightening' between the tears.
I have been told by several friends that these come in phases, I am hoping it stops soon as it really upsets me to see her so scared. She is growing like a week at present so that sounds encouraging that they will go soon

Big

Although my dd is 3.6 bow she has been waking about once a fortnight crying, the upset cry. Usually consoled with a cuddle and "it'll be alright. Go to sleep"
Their little brains are absorbing so much they probably don't switch off!

Ah good, thanks (not good that your smalls are getting this too, good that my initial assessment is plausible). Wikipedia told DH that kids don't get any of this till 4.
DD became a big sister 3 months ago which she seems to be very pleased about but I wonder if there's some subconscious darkness swirling around about that. We also saw a man dressed as a cigarette at an event in the park (from an anti smoking charity) which really freaked her out. Not helpful, Hammersmith and Fulham council.
Good sleeps to everyone.

New siblings may be the theme for my DS too, both times I had a baby he would have these terrors. First time he was 16m, next time 4y 5m. But after the waking/talking trick he seemed to have got over them now.
I hope you manage to control/ over come them . Good luck