Ds (7) wraps his head in sheets etc. in bed- will he get strangled?

[lazarusb]

My ds is 7 and scared of the dark. We leave the hall light on as well the light in his fish tank. He has a scary habit of wrapping things right around his head in bed and we are terrified that if we can't stop this something terrible will happen. He has cuddly toys etc. Any ideas happily received...

I used to do this at about his age. In the days when we had candlewick throws - i would wrap mine round my head like a nun. I just didn't like having the back of my neck exposed.

Even now i can't sleep with the duvet across my neck. It's fine if it's off me or across my mouth but not across my neck. Maybe i was Marie Antoinette in a past life...

Anyway, i didn't get strangled by them. Can he have a duvet instead if you want to discourage him?

I don't know for sure, but I imagine at this age if something was restricting his breathing he'd wake up and pull it off.

Thanks for the replies. He covers his whole head (like a hood a la guillotine), then wraps it round his neck tightly. Not only does he get very hot and sweaty, I'm worried that he may wake up suddenly and not be able to get it off quickly. He usually has a duvet- too warm at the moment- but will use anything he can get hold of. He says he's worried about aliens kidnapping him.

Could you put him in a sleeping bag instead? No advice as to how to help him with his worries, I'm afraid.

It might help to talk to him about were he got that idea and read a book about it with him or something, to explain that it doesn't actually happen and there's no clear evidence for aliens so far, and if there are any nearby they are probably microbe-type things.

And/or get him some kind of tent or cover thing to go over the bed (we have one from ikea, though not for this purpose!) to make him feel he is protected that way? After all this is a psychological kind of reassurance as obviously if an alien wanted to abduct you, they wouldn't be put off by you having blanket on your head (don't say that though! )

Thanks- we had a chat about it last night. Apparently it's Doctor Who that is responsible. Have explained that they are pretend and pointed out how safe he is at home. Actually fell asleep with his head uncovered last night, just as I was on the verge of becoming hysterical about the whole thing!
Like the point about blankets not preventing alien abduction Iguana! I won't mention it!