7 Year Old Hears Voices, Recent Seizure

[tracyann]

My 7 year old daughter (who will be 8 this month) had her second seizure last month (she had her first when she was almost 5).  So far they appear to be fever related, and she will be seeing a neurologist at the end of April.

Late last year she told me that she heard me say "I miss you" to her at lunch, and shortly after that, she heard another teacher speak to her that was not at school that day.  Over time, she has revealed to me that she still hears voices, that they don't say anything bad to her, that they sound like they are standing next to her, and that sometimes she hears random sounds.

I have asked her if anything has been stressing her out lately (she is a very smart child - she is in a school for gifted children), and she said she's fine and happy.  

I asked her if the voices bother her, and she said no, that they just say "Hi" and "Good job" sometimes, and one time, one said "jump." (I, obviously, am more worried than she is.)

I asked her how long she has been hearing voices that don't come from her own head, and she stated her whole life!  She said she hears them about once a week.

Should I be worried?  When she first told me, I thought it was a one time thing, just being a kid, or maybe she was confused - but then she had this second unexpected seizure, and she has been telling me more about these "outside" voices.

I plan on addressing this with her neurologist at the end of April - but should I be talking to her doctor in the meantime?  April seems like a long time to be worried.

Thanks!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Yes, I think it would be wise to pursue this in advance of the appointment with the neurologist. There is no indication, based on the account of your conversations with your daughter, that the 'voices' are associated with her seizures. It is actually quite likely that the voices do not represent auditory hallucinations, though it will be important to rule this out. The highest probability is that these episodes are normal-spectrum in nature and are nothing to worry about. You can arrange an appointment with any seasoned pediatric mental health clinician to investigate this.

[DJ-RxT]

The idea that she understands that these voices come from elsewhere, and their statements are fairly benign in that they don't cause her any distress or lead to abnormal behavior suggests to me that the voices were developed as part of her thought process.

When I was actually a bit older than her, I would occassionally speak to myself in a third person when I'd be working on exams or particularly challenging homework questions. At that age, it just made sense to me because it'd feel like I wasn't the only one thinking through this, and upon coming to a conclusion, the almost "extra" voice almost served as a comfort and reinforcement. The fact that your daughter essentially copes with these voices probably isn't a very negative sign. If you're worried that something may not be right biologically, it may be a good idea to have her come in for an MRI, just for the peace of mind that this situation is purely "in her head". As far as seeing a mental health specialist, while there doesn't seem to be anything too alarming, it still is a good idea to atleast try and squeeze in a consultation. Even some of the busiest mental health specialists should be able to squeeze you in for a 5-10 minute consultation with your daughter

At this age, children generally begin to become more aware of the world and some of its basic functions, and hence will sometimes device their own systems of viewing in the world and functioning in it. Situations will strike their fancy, and they will figure it out as best as they could. If your daughter has been having these experiences as far back as she could remember, I suppose it may very well be a mental mechanism that she will grow out of once her thinking grows increasingly more complex. Seeing a mental health expert ASAP, if atleast for your own peace of mind, would probably be the best idea so you can get a personal and definitive answer. Good luck!

[tracyann]

Thank you so much for your advice.  Like I said, I think I am having much more of a hard time with it than she is, so I think the one needing the most reasurance is me.

Her father confided in me the other day that he did not hear voices as a child, but he said that his "subconscious" could be so powerful sometimes that he would have a hard time concentrating.  He said it seemed almost like another voice from inside his head.  I'm glad he confided in me, because now that I see that he grew up to be a relatively normal guy, then it does not necessarily have to be indicitive of a long term problem (if it is even a problem to begin with) for our child.  I will certainly follow this up with her doctors, and again, thanks for you help!

Sincerely,
Tracy

[D99G03]

This sounds familiar to me. I am not sure what your beliefs are about the spirit world and I am probably opening up a huge can of worms on this forum, but do a search and some research on "Crystal Children" and/or Psychic Mediums.  Just check it out, I am not asking you to belive or change your belief system, just read. I swore I'd never buy into it, but recently changed my views due to a very personal life-altering experience.  Best of luck!!  (and sorry everyone!)

[NikkiPoo]

That is so weird that you said that because I was thinking the same thing when I was reading the post. Her daughter may be very gifted...