Hallucinations in children: Diagnostic and treatment strategies
Current Psychiatry. 2010 October;09(10):53-56
October 1, 2010|Current Psychiatry
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Consider developmental, medical, and other causes to identify nonpsychotic hallucinations
Help children develop coping strategies to control auditory hallucinations such as:
- humming
- listening to music
- reading (forwards and backwards)
- talking to others
- exercising
- singing
- medication
- ignoring the voices.
With normalization and other coping strategies, children with visual hallucinations can learn to transform in their mind the frightful image to a funnier one, which is less anxiety-provoking and gives them a sense of control.
Table 5
Suggestions for evaluating hallucinating children in the ED
| Evaluate risk factors for suicidality |
| Rule out medical and neurologic causes, including substance abuse/intoxication |
| Identify underlying psychopathological, psychosocial, and cultural factors |
| Contact key adult informants for collateral information |
| Decide if hallucinations are psychotic or nonpsychotic |
| Reassure your patients that hearing voices does not mean that they are ‘crazy’ |
| Evaluate hallucinations in the context of other features of psychoses (onset, frequency, severity, and chronicity) |
| Initiate psychotherapy and antidepressants if needed for patients with underlying depression, anxiety, or PTSD |
| ED: emergency department; PTSD: posttraumatic stress disorder Source: Reference 21 |
Related Resources
- Bartels-Velthuis AA, Jenner JA, van de Willige G, et al. Prevalence and correlates of auditory vocal hallucinations in middle childhood. Br J Psychiatry. 2010;196(1):41-46.
- Cepeda C. Psychotic symptoms in children and adolescents: assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment. New York, NY: Routledge; 2007.
Drug Brand Names
- Methylphenidate • Ritalin
- Olanzapine • Zyprexa
- Risperidone • Risperdal
Disclosure
The authors report no financial relationship with any company whose products are mentioned in this article or with manufacturers of competing products.
