This 3 year old's possessed!.. according to his family

[HectorSchmector]

let me begin by assuring you this family's perfectly sane. they aren't conservative or religious, of medium wealth and relatively intelligent. but, they're convinced that their 3 year old son possesses something paranormal. i'm writing here because i'm afraid that their approach is unjust to the boy, who isn't obviously possessed. i fear that because his actions are so unexplainable they've committed to these ideas of the entertaining supernatural and if in fact there is a serious medical or neurological problem with him, he won't have it properly attended. i doubt it's a domestic issue considering the family (both parents, and an older brother and sister) has adored him... up until recently. they were a wonderful family. now each of them sincerely claim that they hate him and don't know what to do.

His Peculiarities:

on numerous occasions he's been hallucinating wildly. each member of the family has told me that they'd hear him in the bath, or his room, alone and having conversations with 'somebody'. not just conversations, but resisting some kind of demand from 'them'. he'd yell 'no, i don't want to! i hate you! go away!'. his parents have asked who it was and he says that there are two twins - one good and one bad.

at times, spontaneously, he looks at a family member with such contempt and slowly proclaims his wish for death up on them. but these aren't tantrums when he's denied something. he doesn't cry nor is he determined for any reward in particular. he becomes mad. and within a few seconds he's asking for a hug. then contempt again. then sweetness again. his father's breaking down. he adores his son but he's just at wits end. now, when these instances occur, his father says 'i can't hug you, you've been naughty'. and the child just seems so confused. it's been like this for months, almost a year even. i'm truly fearful of where it's leading... for both the child and the family's sanity

the mother told me that the other night he locked himself in his room with the lights off - he's three! - and when she asked what the matter was he'd bellow 'Go awayyyyyy!' in a deep voice with no resemblance to his own.

at preschool and in the playground he's perfect. it's only in the home. and again, for repetition, it's inconsistent, happening randomly. every time i'm with him he's great. i love the kid. i never see any thing odd in him.


Now, these following 'facts' are a little annoying. the family claim that the house they used to live in, before this boy was born, was haunted. the father was extremely sceptical, didn't believe it until he himself witnessed what the rest had. i won't go into details - i don't see how it could be of any benefit to this situation. they're convinced that the boy's  problem has some connection to those hauntings and the supernatural in general. he says that the 'twins' he talks to are from that area but he himself has never been there nor has that house been discussed since he was born. so, the family's considering clairvoyants and the rest of it all but i feel, for the everybody's sake, i need enough conviction in my argument to get them have the case studied by a psychiatrist or a psychologist or a paediatrician.

is it blood sugar problems along with usual hallucinations in kids? is it some form of psychosis? schizophrenia? a delusion disorder? i doubt it's by polar - he isn't depressed more often than other kids (difference between rage and melancholia). is it hypochondria on our behalf?

[paranoid_cataclysm]

I didn't get any help either for it until last year and antipsychotics cleared it up a bit but I did horrible in school and everything and no one could figure out what was wrong and I believe if I would of gotten proper treatment for it from the beginning and put in special needs things I would be doing a lot better than I could apparently ever do now.  I mean yeah I've went so far as written music for a small company which is further than a lot of people have went and might even go further than that but I can't function very well from day to day.

[yarrow]

It's too bad the family is hung up on this possession stuff, because it's a waste of time when the kid is so young, confused, and undoubtedly in pain.  Our now-grown son at 3 1/2 or so was into the death wish thing (like this little guy), plus a bunch of other strange behavior.  At that time, serious mental conditions like bipolar disorder were not considered possible in young children, so no professional could give us substantial help.  Finally, our son was diagnosed at 26 after a dreadful manic episode, and his current life is in turmoil and very sad.

I can tell you this:  If you have any influence with the family, getting the child to a capable psychologist will spare him and his kin years of agony, and perhaps make his grownup life much more stable and successful than that of our poor son.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

It's sort of hard to tell if a kid is actually doing things like hallucinating or just using their imagination.  I had symptoms of schizophrenia since I was around his age and lo and behold I was diagnosed with it ultimately, but I couldn't honestly tell you if he has some mental disorder because he's really really young.  Though it's rare, it's not unheard of.  The best bet would be to get the family to talk to a child psychologist I guess.  Maybe after their exorcism doesn't work they will listen to the fact that maybe he needs to see a specialist.

[run4you]

This was an article I recently read on CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/30/bipolar.kids/index.html

I also know a woman with a child who has a 'probable bipolar' diagnosis, and has experienced psychosis where he believes there are snakes everywhere (among other hallucinations). He has the rapid mood swings as well...

Not saying it's definitely bipolar, but I think (like you) that it is definitely psychological/neurological, and not a possession or spiritual issue.

Good luck... you're sweet to help. This little boy obviously really needs it :(