dd says she can hear voices

[Rhubarb]

No, not Morticia! Although I realise that this probably seems like a typical post for me! She's just got over a virual illness, she had a high temp and a few hallucinations because of this, seeing people filming her etc. Yesterday she was ok again, well on the road to recovery. This morning she told dh that she heard a buzzing noise in her ears and there was a voice, it was her voice but it was nasty sounding and sometimes scared her.

I asked her about it today and she told me a tale about a lady in her dreams on a ghost train etc, she is a good story-teller! So I thought she was making it up. But then she was on the pc playing one of the BBC Words and Pictures games when she turned to me with a worried look and said that she could hear it again. She repeated that it was her voice, but scarier sounding and she couldn't tell what it was saying.

I'm a bit worried as dh was diagnosed as schizophrenic in his twenties and still had a few episodes when I met him, though not now.

Anyone had any experience of this? Could it be due to her illness still?

Interesting yet disturbing reading - thanks fa! I'll keep my eye on her. Dh is watching her closely.

If it continues get her checked Rhubars- you need a psychiatrist I think (maybe clinical psych, but prob psychiatrist). Probably her illness, but worth checking because of the family history.

Apparently an indicator for being at risk of schozophrenia is being late to stand- no idea if that applies.

Sorry if I worried you Rhuby xxx

may be a form of tinitus - i dont know much about it - maybe someone else does.

\link{http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:21WpgHVBXZEJ:www.hearinglosshelp.com/hallucinations.htm+tinnitus+hearing+voices&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=3\auditory hallucianations}

Hi rhubarb,

My dd used to hear voices at around that age and it did worry/spook me.She used to say she could hear an angry voice in her head .She wasn't unduly worried about it and never was able to relay anything specifically said by voices.

She also used to say she could hear ladies speaking in a foreign language everytime she looked at her bedroom windows ...weird!

they must have gradually dwindled because she's 14 now and says she hasn't heard anything for years.

My spiritualist friend thought she was seeing spirits

She also said they were very fast and angry.

Sam used to do this (until last six months or so)- turned out he couldn't tell the difference between his own internal voice and speaking aloud. Like someone else said, it was suggested it was spirits.

I would get it checked out because as with any illness it's best to know what you are dealing with. Have you thought about calling Mind and talking to someone there, as the idea of a Psych clearly worries you. \link{http://www.mind.org.uk/\here}. They were great when Dh had his mental health problems.

thanks. it'll be ok. thanks.

I used to get this as a child, and I still do if I'm worried, or run down. I do have bouts of mild-moderate depression, which I manage with AD's, but I don't know if it's linked. The voices aren't nice - they start off as a background noise, and gradually get louder and louder, until they're shouting, but I can't really make out what they're saying. Very weird!

My dh says that is how his started off, with his own inner voice speaking very fasy and angrily. Which is what she is saying.

No wonder she is fucked, coming from a fucked up family. Poor little mite doesn't stand a fucking chance. I've seriously fucked up.

Please don't think that, of COURSE you haven't! You and DH are keeping a close eye on her and being very concerned and loving parents, and if there is anything wrong you will get her some help.

I would be very very surprised if there was some real mental illness - I'm not a doctor but I do feel it's highly unlikely, even with your DH's history. It's very very rare, child onset schizophrenia, that I do know.

I think maybe you and your DH quite understandably worry about this showing up in her and maybe this makes you more sensitive to what she is saying - others who had not had experience of it may well dismiss it, but of course you want to make sure she's OK.

It could well be related to the end of her illness, and also sometimes I think maybe it is quite difficult for kids to adjust to our 'inner' voice being there all the time, it's an odd thing isn't it! I reckon many kids might well experience things like your DD recently.

Even if it were mental illness-related, it's nothing you and DH have done, so please don't blame yourselves. Really!

Come on, you haven't fucked up! In the absolute worst scenario which you know is unlikely, you must know from experience that mental health problem does NOT equal fucked up life or waste of space. It didn't for you, your Dh, My DDH, my parents, me, my BF who has spent time in a psychiatric institution......

Get some answers, and give yourself and your family a huge hug. And remember that IF she does have problems- well the good, loving example you and Dh can set her that proves youre life isn't over when you have health issues is going to be exceedingly important.

It can't be a coincidence that she's been poorly recently, can it? My brother and I both used to get really high temperatures when we were ill when we were young and we both hallucinated - saw things and heard voices. My brother had it more often - used to really spook my parents out. Does she ever sleep walk aswell? My brother in particular went through a phase of this at round about the same time. Hopefully it's happening now because she might still be a bit poorly?

I think you'd be wise not to over react lest she starts seeing it as a way of getting attention - which will drive you all round the bend. My dp's dad and brother have had schizophrenic episodes but a lot of times children hear voices etc. And don't' forget, there are other milder mental disturbances that occur after illness.

I actually think you need to do some work yourself on how to respond to situations like this. If you have a fear or stigma, she's going to pick up on it and that wont help her through it, which is what you need to do. Just reassure her (and yourself) and don't jump to any conclusions. You need her to be able to come to you and tell you these things, not keep them to herself because she thinks it upsets or freaks you out. If it's any consolation, I heard voices as a kid too, and I was only depressed not schizophrenic. Have you and DH been fighting or has she been exposed to any disputes? Is she being bullied? Go there first rather than jumping to the worst case scenario, for both your sakes.

Childhood onset psychosis is very rare, even in families with a history. As people have pointed out here, there are many milder difficulties resulting in symptoms like these, and sometimes hearing voices is part of normal development. The symptom does not in itself require any sort of emergency assessment at this stage, but if it is causing disruption to your child's life (e.g. problems at school, or becoming withdrawn from friends) then you might like to consider seeking a referral to a clinical psychologist.

As a clin psych, I'd just like to add that it is recognised that sometimes there is just a bad 'fit' between therapist and client, and you are entitled to ask to work with someone else in the service, although it may mean waiting again. I'm not sure from what you say here if that was your previous problem, but I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Like with all people in helping professions, sometimes we find that what works fine for most people doesn't work for an individual we are seeing, and good psychs should be able to recognise that, discuss it with you and adapt their approach. After all, it is about making things easier for you, not fitting you to our models for textbook treatment!

Anyway, hope that helps.