Need advice, my kid is seeing things....

[envelop]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice. My kid is 5 and he's been seeing weird things since a baby, to be a bit more precise things that really scare him. He is a healthy kid but now he started taking about bad and scary people at night telling him about some really somber stories. A few days ago I saw him react to something that he saw and he just started trembling uncontrollably like he did years ago and I'm starting to worry. I'm thinking imaginary friends, but are they supposed to be scary?

So I would appreciate any literature and advice you could throw my way.

BTW in the past days stories have turned macabre and scary people count at night has increased. Sorry to make this sound so sixth sense, guess it's just getting me.

 

[Xero]

If he watches any TV, is it usually age appropriate? The things they see on TV can be very real to them and can really play on their very active, easily manipulated imaginations. Otherwise I'm not too sure about this kind of thing.

 

[envelop]

He usually watches Discovery kids and Disney Jr, but now that you mention it I remember Coralline was a bit too much for him. I'll be supervising him though, thanks for the advice. Only thing is that his behavior started way back, I remember taking him to my parent's house and he gazed and followed things with his eyes until they seemingly got to close and he started crying and trembling, he was like a year old back then and that was the first time I can remember something like that happening. I was looking into night terrors, think this could apply? Am I just over reacting? [/COLOR]

 

[Xero]

I wish I had more advice for you. Have you tried getting him seen by a child psychologist or anything of that nature? To evaluate the behavior? It couldn't hurt.

 

[NancyM]

Have you asked him exactly what it is he sees? And what these 'people' say to him if anything?

Does he talk back to them? When does he see them most? At night or when he's alone anytime of day? Are they around when you or anyone else is in the same room?

I don't have any experience with 'bad' kind of imaginary friends, my nephew once had an I.F. who he talked to all the time, and the one freaky thing was that this I.F. was humongous. tall wise. My nephew would actually put his head way back when they talked,. looking up. That was weird.

I agree that your son needs to talk to someone. You can talk first to his pediatrician, they know about this type of thing and can direct you to the right kind of help.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[Jessy]

I think you should try to ask him every detail of it so you can analyze the things and make out why such things are happening is this effect of watching TV or someone in the home or close friends must have tell him the scary stories.

 

[akmom]

I second the TV theory. I don't think your five-year-old is hallucinating.

 

[envelop]

Hi, thanks for all the suggestions. After Xero posted the TV proposal I'm supervising closer and I also spoke to his kindergarten teachers. They said they did have some uncomfortable stories as well but just twice about two weeks ago so they let it go. For the moment we took him to a family psychiatrist and we all ended up in therapy but nothing unusual so far. I did receive a suggestion sent as a pm to take a more religious approach, I'm very thankfully for that one a well. He has been much better, speaker about this weird i.f. Sebastian just a couple of times per week. As to what he says, one of the stories that creeped me out was about Sebastian cooking his sister in the oven and taking a bite out of her and shortly after he died. One of the things that keeps me awake is the realistic approach he has towards death, I'm probably wrong but I didn't know that that concept of their being an end towards life was something kids this age can manage so well. Thanks again for the advice. I'm surely taking everything into consideration.

 

[Xero]

Yeah, he's got to be getting these things from somewhere. 5 year olds don't just think things like that up on their own IMO. I'm pretty sure my 5 year old doesn't even KNOW about death or the fact that people die yet. I mean where did he learn all of this morbid stuff? You are not just born knowing things like this.

My 5 year old only watches NickJr or DisneyJr when the TV is on. DH and I don't watch anything adult while he is awake and here.

 

[JBKB3]

Do you believe in ghosts/spirits? It is believed that children are more apt to seeing ghosts.

Many years ago my wife and I and our daughter lived in a town house. We were in the bedroom and our daughter was just outside the bedroom door playing at the top of the stairs. She was really talking and carrying on so we asked her who she was talking to, expecting her to say a friend (imaginary of course). However she responded with "the pretty lady". Who she later identified as my mother when I showed her a picture. My mother died when I was young (30yrs ago) and I have had multiple unexplainable things happen to me over the years and can only attribute it to my mother watching over me. My wife has even had things happen to her.

It may sound weird to you as it does a lot of people, but maybe in this case and open mind would not be such a bad thing.

http://raisingsmallsouls.com/kids-who-see-ghosts/

 

[Testing]

Do you believe in ghosts/spirits? It is believed that children are more apt to seeing ghosts.

Many years ago my wife and I and our daughter lived in a town house. We were in the bedroom and our daughter was just outside the bedroom door playing at the top of the stairs. She was really talking and carrying on so we asked her who she was talking to, expecting her to say a friend (imaginary of course). However she responded with "the pretty lady". Who she later identified as my mother when I showed her a picture. My mother died when I was young (30yrs ago) and I have had multiple unexplainable things happen to me over the years and can only attribute it to my mother watching over me. My wife has even had things happen to her.

It may sound weird to you as it does a lot of people, but maybe in this case and open mind would not be such a bad thing.

http://raisingsmallsouls.com/kids-who-see-ghosts/

The first place - not the last place- I would look is at spiritual avenues and access to this child. This cannot be underestimated or dismissed.

 

[lovemykid]

i agree with the age appropriate TV comments that many people on this thread of suggested. 5 year olds have a hard time separating reality from fantasy/imagination which is why they believe in things like monsters, santa claus etc. So it might not be anything. Has his behavior changed in other ways? Does he have any other medical problems like head aches or taking medications that could cause side effects? If you're worried it might be worth mentioning to his pediatrician. Good luck!

Kim www.behaviorplan.info