Hallucinations?

[airial95]

So we've had a ramp up of symptoms over the last five days, and the start of a facial tic (we haven't dealt with tics before.). I've also noticed through the last week that he keeps seeing imaginary monsters in his room. This doesn't worry me since this was a game we used to play with his sister. But he also has pointed things out to me like the alligator in the hallway at school and the spider in my bed this afternoon.

 

I know that many of you have reported hallucinations - but how do you tell between an active imagination (like our monster game) and hallucinations?

[Tenacity]

So we've had a ramp up of symptoms over the last five days, and the start of a facial tic (we haven't dealt with tics before.). I've also noticed through the last week that he keeps seeing imaginary monsters in his room. This doesn't worry me since this was a game we used to play with his sister. But he also has pointed things out to me like the alligator in the hallway at school and the spider in my bed this afternoon.

 

I know that many of you have reported hallucinations - but how do you tell between an active imagination (like our monster game) and hallucinations?

 

I doubt there's a one-size-fits-all answer to your question. I would trust your instincts. And I suspect that, most likely, the imaginary-monster, alligator, and spider sightings will either subside or get worse, which will speak for itself. The fact that these sightings have spiked along with other symptoms, and that it struck you enough to prompt your question on this forum suggests to me that this may be a symptom and not just ordinary kid stuff.

 

My child was older when he "crashed" -- just shy of his 8th birthday. Of course, it's easier with an 8-year-old than it is with a toddler (Did I read that your child is 3? Perhaps I'm behind!) to make the distinction between the imaginary and the symptomatic. Hallucinations were a HUGE and unmistakable symptom of my son's illness. He began hearing voices, although he was pretty calm and composed about it at first, just found it surprising and puzzling -- then, within days, he was seeing blood streaming out of lamp fixtures, feeling hands grab his ankles, etc.

 

Stay vigilant!... Good luck!...

 

Tenacity

[EmersonAilidh]

Do they happen when he's really tired?? Going to bed/waking up?? Hypnagogic hallucinations are a lot less scary than schizophrenia or other hallucinatory problems.

Best of wishes!

[peglem]

I would think the amount of anxiety attached to it might be a clue as to whether he thinks these things are real or is just playing a game.

[P_Mom]

My son had hallucinations in his bad episode...and he was scared. He can even tell me to this day that he actually saw the things he saw ( huge bugs in his room, 'toon characters in his room, blonde girl standing in his room (creepy) etc.)...these happened mostly at night. He heard things, too. He knew they weren't real, but, he was actually seeing them. He tells me he hasn't seen anything in quite some time. Definitely something to keep an eye on....

[mandyknowles]

My daughter has them bad at times. She talks mainly to people that have died in the family...Sometimes she cries when someone new comes. but she talks to them and figures out who they are...But then, it goes away after a few days

[AmbersMommy]

So we've had a ramp up of symptoms over the last five days, and the start of a facial tic (we haven't dealt with tics before.). I've also noticed through the last week that he keeps seeing imaginary monsters in his room. This doesn't worry me since this was a game we used to play with his sister. But he also has pointed things out to me like the alligator in the hallway at school and the spider in my bed this afternoon.

 

I know that many of you have reported hallucinations - but how do you tell between an active imagination (like our monster game) and hallucinations?

 

I was finally able to tell the difference between hallucinations and play by watching my 6 year old daughter's eyes. She would focus in mid-air. She also was scared of what she was seeing. I figured if she was playing with imaginary friends that she could control she wouldn't be scared. Good luck. I have to go sleep with my daughter now because she is still hallucinating things in her room at night. Good night.

[saidie10]

So we've had a ramp up of symptoms over the last five days, and the start of a facial tic (we haven't dealt with tics before.). I've also noticed through the last week that he keeps seeing imaginary monsters in his room. This doesn't worry me since this was a game we used to play with his sister. But he also has pointed things out to me like the alligator in the hallway at school and the spider in my bed this afternoon.

 

I know that many of you have reported hallucinations - but how do you tell between an active imagination (like our monster game) and hallucinations?

 

I know my son was hallucinating and it was not just an active imagination because looking back these things were happening during my sons worst periods last year (4 strep infections in a 6 month period). He would tell me he couldn't fall asleep at night because of the little light bugs in his room. Then randomly he would ask me if I saw them at various times of the day. I mean he would literally say "see them Mommy?" and reach up and pretend he had grabbed one and was holding one. He was convinced they were there. Since he had his tonsils out and actually has not caught strep that we know of (he does of course react to it when he is around it) he has not had these hallucinations.

[airial95]

My son is still young - he'll be 3 in the fall. So as with all of his PANDAS symptoms, it's tough to decipher problem behavior with age appropriate behavior.

 

What struck me as odd about the few times I've questioned was his complete lack of reaction to seeing these things. When we play the "monster game" - he's very animated describing to me the monsters, what color they are, what they're doing, if they're friendly - etc... So I know that it's just his imagination.

 

However, with some of these other times. He just says these things very matter of fact. For example, last week, I was saying goodbye to him at school and he pointed down the hallway and said very calmly "look mommy, there's an alligator". I ashed where, and was looking for a picture of an alligator, or a toy alligator, or something that might look like an alligator. Nothing. He said it was just there, sitting in the hallway. The next to days after that, he told me that the "alligator is gone now mommy". It was just very strange.

 

Yesterday, he told me there was a spider in my bed. I asked where, he said under the covers. I pulled the covers all the way back, and asked where - he pointed to nothing (not even a fuzzy or something that might look like a spider). When I said there was no spider, he insisted there was, but I said it's okay - it's not real. This was the first time he got any rise in emotion when he insisted it was and we had to be careful.

 

I know I'm paranoid - but all of this is happening with his recent rise in symptoms too.

 

As much of a blessing as these forums have been in providing information and a sounding board for us all - I feel like it's made me a bit crazy too and I'm always looking for things that may or may not be there!!