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1546631 tn?1321643204

Psychosis or meds?

My son is 8 1/2. He has multiple psych issues (psychotic disorder nos r/o schizoaffective bipolar type, mood disorder nos, r/o bipolar with psychosis; and ADHD), and has been on different meds throughout the last year, with two hospitalizations. He's been on the current ones for the past two months, with no big side effects (seroquel, latuda, Tenex, benadryl). He had something new happen today. Normally if he is sleepwalking, his eyes glaze over and I can tell he's not awake. I ran in his room because he was screaming. He looked wide awake. He said he couldn't sleep and started crying. I told him to turn his fan on, and he shut the door. Again I told him, and he flipped the light switch. Finally I showed him where, and he said he couldn't. I asked him what his name was, and he spelled it. I asked him where he was, and he couldn't tell me. Not even what room we were in. After a few minutes of reorienting him and talking, I layed him back down and he was answering correctly. But he denies screaming at all. This is new to him, and I am calling his psychiatrist in the morning, I just wanted to know what it could be? A new symptom or a late side effect? Should I worry or take him in tonight? Thank you in advance.
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Avatar universal
With my own experience of night-terrors in childhood this sounds like some similar thing, and not something I would be to curious about. I second that the best thing is to guide him gently back to sleep.
Helpful - 0
242606 tn?1243782648
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, this is not a psychological phenomenon. Rather, it is neurological in nature, a product of interrupted sleep in which he was partially awake (such as happens during so-called night terrors). Should this reoccur, don't stimulate him - gently, quietly guide him back to sleep. He will have no memory of the event because no information was stored during the event. By the way, it might be prudent to obtain a second opinion re: diagnostic clarification. It's unheard of to employ the schizoaffective disorder diagnosis with a young child and invites questions.
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