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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
Hearing a 'Voice'
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
Hearing a 'Voice'
by kokopelli17, May 24, 2005 12:00AM
My 9 year old son, Matt, says there is a ghostly man that appeared about a year or so ago. Matt says this man talks to him and tells him to do bad things. Example: at school to knock over someone else's pencil box.
Matt had never mentioned this 'man' to us before, but when asked why he had done something intentionally at school, he told the teacher this ghostly man had told him to do it. The teacher called us and was very concerned that Matt was 'hearing voices'.
We think he's just using this 'man' as a scapegoat for the things he's done wrong. After talking to the teacher, we talked to him about it. We listened and indicated to Matt that we believe what he is telling us about this 'man'. Our advice to him was to ignore the 'man' and we thought he'd go away. He came to me a few days later to say that the 'man' said that he wanted to fight. If the 'man' won, he'd kill two people that our son knows. If Matt won, the 'man' would only kill one person. I told Matt to ignore him and the 'man' wouldn't kill anyone. A couple of days later, Matt said the 'man' was gone.
Yesterday, the principal at school called. The 'man' is back and Matt told her about the plan of the 'man' to kill. Of course, that's all they need to say that Matt needs to see someone professionally.
We strongly believe that he's latched onto a story that gets an adult's attention not realizing that the things he says are red flags for psychiatric review. He shows no signs at home of being scared or of talking to anyone. He's very imaginative and the stories he writes for school are very "boy" - spooky, lively, full of adventure. Can you shed any light on his behavior?
Matt had never mentioned this 'man' to us before, but when asked why he had done something intentionally at school, he told the teacher this ghostly man had told him to do it. The teacher called us and was very concerned that Matt was 'hearing voices'.
We think he's just using this 'man' as a scapegoat for the things he's done wrong. After talking to the teacher, we talked to him about it. We listened and indicated to Matt that we believe what he is telling us about this 'man'. Our advice to him was to ignore the 'man' and we thought he'd go away. He came to me a few days later to say that the 'man' said that he wanted to fight. If the 'man' won, he'd kill two people that our son knows. If Matt won, the 'man' would only kill one person. I told Matt to ignore him and the 'man' wouldn't kill anyone. A couple of days later, Matt said the 'man' was gone.
Yesterday, the principal at school called. The 'man' is back and Matt told her about the plan of the 'man' to kill. Of course, that's all they need to say that Matt needs to see someone professionally.
We strongly believe that he's latched onto a story that gets an adult's attention not realizing that the things he says are red flags for psychiatric review. He shows no signs at home of being scared or of talking to anyone. He's very imaginative and the stories he writes for school are very "boy" - spooky, lively, full of adventure. Can you shed any light on his behavior?
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., May 26, 2005 12:00AM
, May 26, 2005 12:00AM
There are certainly many childhood behaviors that can be managed with a "let's wait and see" approach. However, I would not recommend this with your son. The reason I would not recommend it is that there is a risk that your son is displaying symptoms of an emotional disorder which requires treatment. He might indeed be experiencing hallucinations, or he may be experiencing intrusive, obsessive thoughts which are not truly hallucinations and might be more symptomatic of an obsessive-type Obessive Compulsive condition. In any case, an evaluation would be a prudent course. The rule of thumb that I would invoke is: Better safe than sorry.
Not that this is even remotely related, as a doctor once told me most children have at least one hallucinationin their childhood (??!!) but again about a year ago I caught him talking to the upper corner of the bedroom to which he told me his grandfather (deceased) was speaking to him. He did this when he was 3 twice also but couldn't identify the 'entity' with which he was conversing. At that point I ruled out schizophrenia because I knew symptoms didn't typically show until at LEAST puberty........(and at the tender age of 8 he has grown underarm hair - voila - puberty??).
See the perception of a different culture.
A child that says talks to a deseased grand father will be saw as a gifted child with those powers. No one will think the child is disturbed, or mentally ill. The parents will feel happy and actually blessed, and even will listen to the child with amazement.
Now, In my country that was common. Children may have said that because children have vivid imaginations and were telling the truth, or just to be special, and believed to be gifted or blessed by God.
whatever the reason, I know many that said so, and they are productive members of their society with the same illnesses and depressions of any one else.