8 year old hearing voices

[HuskySnow]

My son is 8 years old (actually my step son) and the last 2 nights he has says he keeps hearing voices in his head shouting at him. Both when he is awake and asleep.
I thought he just might be dreaming, but he said he's had it before when he was at his grandmas house (where he lives during the week with his mum)
He has now said the voices are repeating what his mum says to him (not sure if this is odd). For example 'go to bed (he can't remember anything else at the moment) he said she doesn't shout it, but the voices do.
I'm really concerned, because he is such a happy and amazingly well behaved boy.
He isn't always happy when I pick him up, he can seem a bit down and low, but once I start talking to him he springs back to his usual self.
Any advice? Anyone else experienced this?

Are you in England? I'd advise ringing your local CAHMS and talking to a clinician for advice - free to call, free to chat and they don't take any records (unless urgent)

Google CAHMS and it should come up with your local one, they're open mon -fri 9-5

There’s a condition called Paleolalia (I think), where phrases are repeated in a persons head. I have it, and when anxious the last thing I said or was said to me goes round and round and round until replaced by something else. CAMHS is definitely a good call. It’s not an awful thing, or isn’t for me now I understand it, and it can be managed.

Google exploding head syndrome (yes really!). I have it sometimes - it’s a sleep disorder. In my case it’s either banging on the door or a doorbell. See if some extra sleep helps.

I’m wondering if it’s possibly dietary. Some people are sensitive to amines in the diet (cheese and aged or preserved meats...liver sausage that kind of thing) it can give the appearance of aggression or mental illness. Just as an experiment I’d suggest getting some fish oil (or oily fish if he enjoys it) (Eskimo Kids do an oil) cutting down sugar and leaving out cheese and hung or preserved meats. Try it for a couple of months and see how it goes

If he gets them while he's drifting off, they might be hypnagogic hallucinations. They're like 'audio dreams' while you're awake. It can be random voices or things you've heard during the day. They are harmless but I imagine they could be confusing or distressing to a child. Just want to add this to the possibilities you may want to explore.

Thank you all so much for your quick responses.
Yes in the UK so will contact them Monday.
He's just had another moment, where he woke up crying, this time saying the voices aren't saying very nice things.
So it happens during his sleep, as he's been asleep for 2 hours already.

Sounds like hypnogogic hallucinations. They can be creepy/scary but harmless.

I get this. The voice is usually saying something mundane but is very shouty. I also get song lyrics shouted at me. Shouted rather than loud iyswim. I do get it more when I’m in bed than during the day but I’m not sure if it’s tiredness related or it’s just that I’m not busy so they come through. I know that it’s in my head rather than someone actually there. I’ve got no idea what it is but if it’s any help, I am completely ‘normal’ in regards to my mental health.

I would also advise keeping a journal or note on your phone of the episodes, so you can say factually how many he's having, what sort of things are said and what he's feeling.

Get his ears checked for infection.