Daughter has hallucination at school

[Rarity]

I am new to this site ran across it while googling. I've been dying to talk to other parents so this seems like a great place for it.

I have a 10 year old daughter who has been diagnosed with ADD, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and discoordination condition. We are working on getting tested for Irlen Syndrome and central auditory processing disorder. We were referred for testing for Aspergers but are on a waiting list we hope to get a call in December to set up an appointment. We began noticing issues in Pk2 and have been seeking diagnosis off and on since age 7.

During our recent evaluation it came out that my daughter has been having hallucinations for an undetermined amount of time. She sees shadow people and a dingy yellow person. I had heard of the yellow person from dreams and once when she said she saw him following our neighbor but didn't realize she saw him regularly. The doctor warned me repeatedly that this could be indicators of schizophrenia and usually onset is in the 20's. He also stated if they continue we may need to consider an antipsychotic.

Yesterday she forgot her school ID which caused her to have extreme anxiety during this episode she says she saw a man with a bloody face come up to her and tell her he was going to kill her. Her counselor had her call me and we talked her down and she went back to class. She didn't sleep well the night before and states after a dream she woke up and a shadow man was getting up off the floor by her bed she shook her head and he disappeared.

Anyone with similar experiences? Could this just be anxiety induced or does it sound like schizophrenia?

 

[BusynMember]

It sounds like psychosis, but nobody here can tell you exactly why. Bipolar and schizophrenia can cause hallucinations. Do you have anything like that on your or her biological father's family tree? Do you live in the US?

 

[JJJ]

Yes, my daughter Kanga had visual hallucinations from an early age. She was diagnosis schitzoaffective at 15 after a few years of "bipolar with psychosis". There are children diagnosis with schizophrenia as young as 6 or 7.

Kanga also has ADHD, auditory processing disorder, etc.

While antipsychotics have side effects, often they are better than letting them suffer with the hallucinations.

 

[Rarity]

Yes we live in the US. The reason the doctor started asking her if she had 'dreams' while she was awake was due to a family incident relating to my mother in law that I had termed as a nervous breakdown. The doctor felt as though it sounded more like a schizophrenic episode and based on what I have learned I have to agree.

I'm really wondering if anyone has a child with anxiety that hallucinations.

 

[DDD]

I have watched a television documentary about childhood schizophrenia twice in the past six months. It was well done and very informative including information about a NE USA hospital that has a well known special unit for children with that diagnosis. I "think" somebody started a post about it in the Watercooler a couple of weeks ago. I'll try to find it for you or perhaps someone else will post it.

Over the years I thought onset was in the twenties and had no idea it could be in early childhood. Are you all seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in children? I would think that now was the time to seek the very best expert. Hugs DDD

 

[DDD]

Although I couldn't find the post I did type in Childhood Schizophrenia for an internet search and there are alot of informational sites that pop up. One of them shows Jani...who I believe is the little girl from the documentary I referred to. I'm sorry you even have to explore the subject but the more info you have the more likely you will be able to get the best help for your daughter. Best of luck. Hugs DDD

 

[TerryJ2]

Hi Rarity,
I'm glad that others here with experience have jumped in to help you. I have no experience in this area but I can offer hugs!

 

[JJJ]

http://www.julianjaynes.org/pdf/sidhu_hallucinations-in-children.pdf

 

[flutterby]

My daughter has severe anxiety with panic, and hallucinations - mainly auditory, but some visual, as well as paranoia which gave her the diagnosis of Psychotic Disorder not otherwise specified. She started having mild and intermittent hallucinations when she was a little older than your daughter.

We don't know what causes the hallucinations. Sometimes I suspect it is anxiety, sometimes it doesn't seem to have anything to do with anxiety. She doesn't have the disorganized speech and behavior that is seen with schizophrenia. She doesn't have the magical thinking that goes with schizoaffective disorder, and she doesn't have bipolar disorder, or a psychotic depression. She's on an antipsychotic which has helped with the hallucinations dramatically, which, of course, has eased the terror that the hallucinations caused, and has also helped her anxiety and depression. I worry about the future - if this will evolve into something more - but focus on the present. It's all we can really do.

 

[DDD]

JJJ what a marvelous article to post and share. I scan read but will hope it gets archived on the Board. Thanks DDD

 

[buddy]

I'm so glad you are here to talk with parents who share this journey. Sending you support and hope.....

 

[InsaneCdn]

No experience with hallucination. But... lots of experience with a kid with multiple missing dxes, including variations of the ones you listed... and not getting the right interventions, accommodations and medications drove him to into significant psychological problems including some form of psychosis. We're working our way back out... slowly.

I have a 10 year old daughter who has been diagnosed with ADD, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and discoordination condition. We are working on getting tested for Irlen Syndrome and central auditory processing disorder. We were referred for testing for Aspergers but are on a waiting list we hope to get a call in December to set up an appointment. We began noticing issues in Pk2 and have been seeking diagnosis off and on since age 7.



Read more: http://www.conductdisorders.com/forum/f6/daughter-has-hallucination-school-50150/#ixzz25NxvLOj6​

Discoordination condition is likely an unusual term for "developmental coordination disorder". A great place to learn more about Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is the canchild site, run by McMaster's University: www.canchild.ca

Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) - that alone can drive a kid crazy if not dealt with. been there done that. It was the LAST diagnosis we got. But... make sure they test for the full spectrum of auditory processing disorders, and not just the classical verbal-language-processing one. If they are not testing for "auditory figure ground", it isn't a complete test. (been there done that too)

Anxiety and/or depression are common secondary issues that develop in kids with missed or mis-managed dxes. If you don't get the help you need soon enough, the way the world works for everyone else just works against you, and it really messes up your head. Sometimes, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is another attempt to instill order into a chaotic world.

While you're looking at evaluations... has she ever been evaluated for sensory issues? Those can also be a huge problem.