Hearing a 'Voice'

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?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

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.

[tintinabou]

I have to say I wonder about similar things with my DS/8.  There is a history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in his lineage (direct lineage!) and for the last year or so he has come into the room and "answered" a question of some type for me.  When I ask him what he's talking about he says "I thought you asked me xxxxx(fill in the blank)".  We often are the only 2 in the house when that happens and we don't listen to the radio hardly ever and only slightly more frequently is the tv on.  He then gets stressed because he firmly believes I asked him a question of whatever sort.   Or he'll come in and say in an irritated voice "WHAT???" to which he explains that he thought he heard me call him.

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??).

[inezjoven]

In my country they call it "talking to the other side" and they actually believe it.  
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.