hallucinations - worried about Ds1

[sphil]

DS1 is 10. He has mildish dyspraxia and some AS traits. He told me today that he has been having hallucinations - hes had a few over the last few weeks. They are all visual and only last a few seconds. He is very worried - I reassured him but have been googling and scaring myself since he went to bed.
Any experiences of this?

What kind of hallucinations?

When does he have them?

Ds used to have what he described as 'flash outs' where everything went white for a little while and he couldnt see.

He used to have these in school.

He has seen a black crow on the roof when he was coming back from the park - he was positive it wasnt real because it disappeared while he was looking at it. He saw a black silhouette of a man in our sitting room and a scarecrow when he was at school.

stupid question, but could he be a touch tired/dehyrated - just I've occasionally had brief hallucinations when overtired.

Is he on any medication?

How does he sleep ? Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep can cause hallucinations too, as Total said.

Is he under any stress lately?

My ds used to have an imaginary friend, who he could see too. Do you think it could just be his imagination, as oppose to an hallucination?

Yes TC, he is definitely tired atm because it's nearing the end of term - tho a couple of the hallucinations happened a few weeks ago. He doesnt always drink enough either.

Claw - he isnt on any medication. Although outwardly he is a very laid back child, he has periods of anxiety - and I think school, friendships etc are sometimes a source of stress to him.

I am really hoping that this has an easy explanation - I suffer from anxiety myself, tho have never hallucinated. The thought that he might have mental health problems fills me with fear ( tho I am obviously not communicating that to him). I'll see how it goes over the holidays and take him to the drs if it happens again.

Sphil, he sounds similar to my ds, very passive but suffers with anxiety and directs it inwards.

It could be a combination of being tired, not drinking enough, anxiety, perhaps even difficulites with sensory processing (god our kids have a lot to deal with).

When Ds was having his 'flash backs' and he also used to think he had 'things' crawling over him and he would scratch and pull at his skin to try and get them off. He used to say that he tought he was an alien and if he pulled his skin off, i would be able to see to. I thought exactly the same as you that he might have mental health problems.

He does in a way, he was suffering with severe anxiety and directing it inwards. He was finding school very difficult. CAMHS explained the alien thing to me as ds feeling very different to everyone else, like an alien, which made more logic sense to me and easier for me to understand.

It was a very worrying time, but it didnt last too long and there is usually a logically explaination, as oppose to a severe mental health problem.

Ask your dr for a referral to CAMHS if it continues.

Thanks Claw3, that's very reassuring.