Hearing Voices

Updated on January 08, 2013
N.T. asks from New York, NY
17 answers

Hi. My 8y/o son been complaining of hearing voices since age 6 and seeing things since age 3. He was hospitalized at age 6 and medicated, which I have been uncomforable with so I stopped all,meds. Voices stopped until age 8 which is now. He complains of hearing voices again and has 2 names for the people he hears... 1st... pirate.. 2nd... Lagoon! He says Pirate keep telling him mommy is calling you and sometimes he hear my voice, and Lagoon is evil and he only hear Lagoon when he is upset and Lagoon tells him to hurt himself and if he dnt do it Lagoon will do it for him. Some of my son story has a mix to it and I would never tell him I dnt believe him, but im thinking he is craving att. He does have an appt on friday so I am looking into it further. For some reason he dnt seem like a kid that is really hearing voices. I was kinda thinking he is jealous of the att his 3y/o sis get bc she is a bit ill. When he was hospitalized at 6ys docs said dey too dnt see any evidence of him hearing voices. Any help is appreciated.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Correct Mendy... He has been having issues since age 3 far as seeing a lady in his window wearing a wit dress, I moved so many times and he says she is following him. The voices actually began when he was 6 which is after his sis birth and his behaviour esculated horribly. Now his sis is on tube feeds she get countless amount of att. I also give him lots of att and he is very spoiled he behaves like a 5y/o.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Amarillo on

My daughter has the same thing. She is 17 now but she has had auditory and visual hallucinations since she was 4! Stress and Anxiety cause this. This may be the reason he hears the evil one when he is upset. When she's upset and stressed she hears negative voices. She has been in Therapy and under dr.'s care for 4 years now and is on Meds. I too thought she was just craving attention when she was little but no it was very real to her. Usually kids may outgrow these symptoms once they know how to control them. Put it this way. some people stress out and get sick or break out in hives, or other physical symptoms. and some Hallucinate. Good luck with this!

6 moms found this helpful

More Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

There are a lot of more serious disorders that are labeled ADHD. You need to find a good psychiatrist and get a full psych eval.

Children only come up with what they experience. You have to ask yourself how would a three year old think to make up a psychological disorder, ya know?

16 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

It's the one telling him he needs to hurt himself that worries me. An imagination is great, but there are mental illnesses that can come on very early. I watched a show about a little girl who's schizophrenia came on very early and one of the voices made her drown the family cat. I'm not trying to worry you, but I would take him seriously and have him evaluated by a child psychologist. It's possible that the hospital didn't believe him simply because he was so young.

15 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Medication isn't always an answer.
But - occasionally - it is.
A voice telling him to hurt himself is troubling.
If he doesn't hurt himself Lagoon will hurt him?
Like Lagoon will take over his body control?
This voice is bullying and threatening him and no kid should have to feel like that.
What if it starts telling him to hurt his sister?
Puberty is only a few years away and the hormones can make things worse (it's hard enough for teens who don't hear voices), and he'll be stronger and harder for you to control.
Please get him a full psychiatric evaluation.
These voices to me sound like a cry for help.

10 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.T.

answers from New York on

Faking mental illness is a pretty strong reaction to feeling jealous of a sibling. Have you increased the amount of attention that he receives? If your son is/may be mentally ill, you really need to get him evaluated by a doctor. You say that he's had symptoms since age three, but his sister was not born til he was 5, so that can't be the entire problem, can it?

10 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

I think he needs an evaluation, maybe more than one, but a competent physician and a mental health professional. Yes, kids' imaginations are significant, and kids can do things to try to get attention. However, hearing voices that tell him to hurt himself is pretty elaborate and very likely indicative of a problem deeper than "wanting attention." I'm not sure what you mean by "doesn't seem like a kid who is hearing voices" - I don't think the average person has enough experience with this or has known a lot of people with this issue! I know I don't! I think, if he's been having issues for 5 years (ages 3-6, then a break, and now it's happening again), then he's NOT making this up! There is some underlying cause that needs intense investigation.

Stopping meds outright with no supervision can be dangerous - I'm not a huge fan of meds, believe me, but there's a whole lot of chemical interactions to consider. If meds are suggested, I'd push for the involvement of a respected pediatric neuropharmacologist, frankly, and of course after some thorough evaluation by a competent psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in hearing voices and similar issues.

He is telling you about this and complaining. He is reaching out to you for help. Please get it for him. Do not rest until you have real answers.

9 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.S.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I am so sorry your little guy is struggling. I know it must be so hard as a mom. I'm so glad you guys have an appointment on Friday. I would really get him evaluated by a pediatric neurologist and also psychiatrist. Sounds like at minimum he is extremely stressed out (lots of moves, special needs sister) He needs some talk therapy to help him cope with it all. Also, he might be having symptoms of a more serious condition. Is there a history of mental illness in the family? Early intervention is key. The therapist can also offer parenting strategies. You mentioned that he is acting below age level and acts spoiled. Work with a professional to help you feel more solid in your approach to his behaviors. He won't stand a chance until you feel more clear about what is going on and can set up his home environment to best help him. I can tell how much you care and love those kids. You deserve some outside help so you aren't feeling so overwhelmed. Blessings to you Mama and your son! Please keep us posted!

6 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

N.:

Take your son in to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. If you can secretly record him - then do. Your son needs help.

He could have a vivid imagination or he could have some serious mental issues that need to be addressed. I agree that medication is NOT always the answer, but you need to figure out what is going on with your son.

Good luck!

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Schizophrenia is usually found in late teens to early 20's, but that is usually. It is my understanding that the test needing to be done are extremely expensive and usually aren't done. Most hospitals do a mental evaluation.

My point, it seems the hospital evaluated him and he didn't share any concerns of voices during his stay or evaluation.

I wouldn't rule it out from one hospital visit. If he is schizophrenic, medication is the only thing I know that will help him.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

There is a little girl that was diagnosed as Schitzophrenic at like age 6 or something...very rare, as Momwithcamera said. The girl's name is January (don't remember the last name) and I saw this really interesting show about her a few years ago, then just last year she was on Dr. Phil again and is now older, maybe 12?

Anyway, I would google her and see if you can see some videos and articles about her and see if your son is similar. I think you seriously need to take him back to the doctor(s) and have him evaluated again. It sounds like this is a serious thing and it will only get more difficult for you without medication. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this, but it really does need to be treated.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I'm having a hard time understanding why any parent would take it upon themselves to stop all medication without the direction and advice of a doctor.
True, medicine isn't always the answer, but in so e cases , it's the ONLY answer.
IF (big IF) your child is schizophrenic, the. The ONLY way to control it will be medication--for the rest of his life.
I believe you need to consult (again) with his doc AND a psychiatrist and work together, consistently, over time, to find out what is going on.
Only when I had exhausted every physical and psychological avenue would I turn to a spiritualist, etc!
If your boy has a serious mental health issue, YOU will be the main gatekeeper for at least 10 more years. It is your responsibity to get this child help. Now.
If you find it's an over active imagination and voices of the neighbors--oh well. Still good, right?

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.K.

answers from Appleton on

He may be a psychic kid. I am a psychic/medium and I know for kids this can be scary. You may be able to get some answers here:

http://www.meetup.com/nycpsychics/

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Metaphysical+Stores&...

I do not know anything about either of thse groups or shops. I am in Wisconsin and have never been to NYC.
Before you seek help from traditional medicine again check out these places and ask questions.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Madison on

I agree with Tiffany S. If he's been hearing and seeing these beings for a while, he probably does see and hear them. There are people who have these gifts. It's called Clairaudience and Clairvoyant. There's nothing wrong, per se, with these extrasensory abilities; I have all of the extrasensory abilities (there are 4 of them). Like Tiffany said--your son is in control. He can ask them to go away. He can tell them he's busy right now and they'll have to come back later. He can tell them he only has a one-hour window open, and when that hour is up, they have to go away. However you/your son want to set it up. However, if they've been hanging around now for a few years--they might not want to listen.

If your son really does have psychic abilities, seeing a doctor and having him put on meds will not make the voices or seeing the people go away. In fact, it could make things a lot worse (pharma drugs could alter your son's brain chemistry, which then would make it easier for bad entities to come and visit/use his body. Seriously. I'm not making this up.).

I'm a little concerned about the fact that he has a bad person, Lagoon, telling him to hurt himself or Lagoon will hurt him. There is such a thing as bad entities; the good entities are okay and won't harm you; the bad entities can.

My advice to you would be to find a spiritualist church in the NYC area and ask them for help and guidance. They will be able to tell you for sure if your son is psychic and, if he does indeed have bad entities who are trying to/might harm him, they can help get rid of the bad entities. While as adults we know/are aware of what these supernatural entities can and cannot do, that they can only harm us if we let them--a child doesn't. It can be scary to him that these other beings are always around, even when he doesn't want them around.

Supernatural beings like children because children still believe in fairy tales and goblins/ghosts and make-believe friends. They haven't closed the door yet on the fact that there are other worlds/dimensions out there, making it easier for supernatural beings to come and manifest/visit them. However, children aren't capable of being able to handle these types of spirits without adult help. That's why I urge you to seek spiritual help for your son.

2 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from Denver on

You can approach this from a belief/visualization angle too. A child's imagination is extremely strong and powerful. There is also, the possibility, if you believe in such things, that he really does have beings hanging around him.

Help him to understand that because he has a physical body, and these "voices" do not, that he gets to be the boss. He can tell them to go away and they will have to. He can also visualize turning the volume to "mute" so he can no longer hear them. He can also visualize asking an "angel" or "superhero" to come take the bad guy far, far away.

If this is just attention seeking or just a coping mechanism these types of methods might help.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.F.

answers from Dallas on

I think you really need to get him help. While you are at the doctors, talk to them about strep. I know, it's out there but strep infections have caused some to act as if they have mental illness. It's easy to treat and every area needs to be explored. If it turns out he does need medication, please continue to give it to him.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

It's hard to imagine that a 6 year old would make up hearing voices that tell him to hurt himself. I would look into getting him back on the meds if he was doing better with them.

I understand that you don't want to have to medicate your son, but if he were diabetic you would give him insulin whether you wanted to or not. Mental health issues are not chosen and cannot simply be controlled by will power. People with mental health issues usually feel bad about the things they do, but they cannot control it.

Please don't push this until your son hurts himself or someone else. Take this seriously and get him some professional help.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

This doesn't sound at all like attention-seeking behavior. It sounds like he's having hallucinations. Were the medications he was on working? If they were, I can't figure out why you would take him off of them. Did he get a diagnosis?

You say he doesn't seem like "the type of kid that is hearing voices" but honestly, what "type" of person would be the type to hear voices? Someone's not the "type" until they are... and you can't tell until it happens.

Child psychiatrists need to evaluate him until you get answers. Keep on keeping on. Have them work with pediatric neurologists. You should have a local Childrens Hospital with entire departments that can handle this stuff and work in tandem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hearing voices

"Hi. My 8y/o son been complaining of hearing voices since age 6 and seeing things since age 3. He was hospitalized at age 6 and medicated, which I have been uncomforable with so I stopped all,meds. Voices stopped until age 8 which is now. He complains of hearing voices again and has 2 names for the people he hears... 1st... pirate.. 2nd... Lagoon! He says Pirate keep telling him mommy is calling you and sometimes he hear my voice, and Lagoon is evil and he only hear Lagoon when he is upset and Lagoon tells him to hurt himself and if he dnt do it Lagoon will do it for him. Some of my son story has a mix to it and I would never tell him I dnt believe him, but im thinking he is craving att. He does have an appt on friday so I am looking into it further. For some reason he dnt seem like a kid that is really hearing voices. I was kinda thinking he is jealous of the att his 3y/o sis get bc she is a bit ill. When he was hospitalized at 6ys docs said dey too dnt see any evidence of him hearing voices. Any help is appreciated.

Correct Mendy... He has been having issues since age 3 far as seeing a lady in his window wearing a wit dress, I moved so many times and he says she is following him. The voices actually began when he was 6 which is after his sis birth and his behaviour esculated horribly. Now his sis is on tube feeds she get countless amount of att. I also give him lots of att and he is very spoiled he behaves like a 5y/o "

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions