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?

[mammo]

I totally agree, they are little sponges.  If they hear a lot of talk about ghosts, hauntings, etc, they will relate to that in some manner.  This little boy's life seems to have been full of this kind of talk.  None of my kids or grandkids at that age ever used the word hate, I wonder where that is coming from as well.  Children are more in tune than we know, but I think something has perpetuated this, and he is being blamed.

[allmymarbles]

The more I think about it, the more I think I am right. I am very tuned into little children for a particular reason. I have an extraordinary memory - the sort of memory no one believes is possible. Except that in my case it has been proven accurate. I remember being that age. I remember being even much younger. I can even remember lying in a bassinette. It is this peculiar faculty that has helped me to raise my own four children.

Even the youngest child understands more than people realize. And he hears and sees more than people realize because they think of him as invisible. Ask yourself how many times you have had an adult conversation (on an adult subject) with a very young toddler in the room.

[mammo]

allmymarbles makes a very good point!  Children this young are very impressionable, and he may be hearing things and now imagining what he has heard adults talking about.  I would put more emphasis on what the adults are saying or doing and go from there.  All it takes is for one over-bearing adult to convince other adults that this is real.  I feel so sorry for this child, it appears his young life has been full of hauntings and ghosts, someone needs to intervene.  To tell a child he can't be hugged because he has been naughty is horrible!!!!

[allmymarbles]

Here is an off-the-wall idea. Maybe the house itself is upsetting or scaring him. Has he heard stories of the house being haunted? Ghosts and spooks, wow! Little children are very impressionable - and they don't miss much. It could be the parents themselves who, unwittingly, have fostered these "hallucinations." Just as some children have imaginary friends, the little boy could have imaginary ghosts.

[Sandman2]

ditto,  nicely put!

[aadel]

History is replete with stories of unusual behavior in children and adults being ascribed to "the devil," to "ghosts and evil spirits," and to sundry other occult causes.  Occasionally, we still read today of well-meaning people subjecting others to exorcisms--even in the western world.  Usually, these events come to our attention when the person being cured ends up dead.  The death is often followed by criminal charges being laid--and so it should be.

One of the dangers inherent in any form of quackery is that it delays proper treatment.  Just what that is in the case of the unfortunate little boy you have told us about should be decided by people qualilfied in child psychiatry, and not by the modern-day equivalent of witch doctors.

[margypops]

As the problem if it is a problem is only when he is home thats where the root is,is he on any meds for anything, how old are his siblings and are they good with him ?.