Please Help Me ! - Vidor,TX

If se were JUST seeing black shadows then I MIGHT agree with some posts that this was spritual.

You need to do a google search for schizophrenia symptoms and obessive compulsary disorder symptoms. Often one suffers from both.

I spent 15 yrs married to a man that was bi-polar had OCD and a touch of schizophrenia. I also took care of my ex-mother-in-law for 7 yrs and she REALLY had schizophrenia. I know that living with someone with these issues is hard. It's even harder for them trying to live with it.

Take her to a doctor.

I would take her to the Doctor first thing in the morning. Does she have a fever? Is she on new medication?

Also I think I need to remind all of you out there, that not all School counselors are "real" Counselors. They are "academic" counselors. They are not really in the mental health business as much as educational counselors that understand the academic needs of children not mental health.

Sounds like she has OCD of some kind. I have that & I'm the same way about germs. I drive my hubby CRAZY all the time. I'm not as bad as I used to be but I'm still a fanatic about it. You should try counsuling & see if that helps. I just started changing my ways as a grownup but I grew up in a pretty nasty environment so that's where my problems stem from. Good luck!

I am sorry you are going thru this and I'm sorry for your daughter. I highly recommend you talk to her pediatrician. I don't know if you need to see a therapist or what, but I would talk to the pediatrician first. Best of luck to you and your family.

please take her to a psychiatrist, she is having tactile hallucinations (feels bugs), and visual hallucinations (sees shadows). get a pediatric psychiatrist as soon as you can.

Please take her to see a good psychiatrist who specializes in adolescents. If you're in the Austin area, Dr. Robert Dobyns is excellent. I'm sure there are many other capable ones in Austin as well. You daughter may have an adolescent onset mental illness. Her hormonal changes and stress could be triggering an illness. It's possible for anxiety and post traumatic stress (from the hurricanes) to cause the hallucinations. A talk therapist is a good place to begin with help too.

Don't worry about the unknown, take it one day at a time. You are doing the right thing asking for advice and seeking help for your daughter.

Dear N R,

I am sorry that this is putting a strain on you, and your daughter more so. The first thing I would do is realize that, although we are genetically connected, we do not all have the same minds. I come from a very normal, typical all american family yet I am an obsessive compulsive thinker. I have experienced pain in my hands from too much hand washing because I believed that every time I touched something that my hands were filthy and I had to wash them again. I became a prisoner in my own mind. Our minds are extremely complicated, yet simple things that help us work things out that the rest of our body cannot. My suggestion would be to have her pediatrician refer her to a psychiatrist (psychologist seems to be closer to a therapist). Consulting with a psychiatrist does not make her crazy or different, please let her know that. They are doctors of the mind where as our regular doctors are doctors of the body. I would recommend not allowing her pediatrician to put her on meds, I would see the psychiatrist and let him/her make suggestions. Remember, as a nurse you are aware that you are in control of the choices that are made when deciding a treatment plan.

If you would like the name of a very good (female) psychiatrist, email me and I will give you her information. She has helped me through an extremely rare condition (unrelated to the hand washing issue)that countless doctors could not figure out. She is empathetic and gets down to the point.

I agree with taking her to the Doctor. Start first with your family Doctor and then follow his/her advice. She may need to follow up with some of the other Doctors that have been suggested. The main thing I can tell you is that YOU are her Mother and mother's intuiton is something you can always trust and count on when knowing your Daughter. You seem like a great Mom! Good Luck and Trust your instincts!

Your child may be suffering from anxiety disorder and maybe some obsessive compulsive disorder as well. You need to take her to a psychiatrist (someone who can dispense medications, as opposed to a psychologist, who cannot). There are several good anti-anxiety medications that work very well with children. My 12 year-old daughter has been on anti-anxiety medications for one year now and has responded very well. Our family life is now much much much better! Last January my child was in a disfunctional state (due to a rapidly escalating anxiety disorder) that was severely affecting all aspects of her life as well as the rest of the family. There are numerous causes of anxiety disorder. Anxiety showing this level of behavior will not likely just go away - your child needs professional help. Children should not have to suffer these kinds of ills - childhood is too short and too precious. Good luck! Hang in there! Do not take anything personally - your child cannot control this. You will really need to not get angry with her, as these behaviors are not her choosing. Find a good doctor - and make sure you check out the doctor before you take your child. You may have to fight with your insurance company (I did), but I am now happy with the outcomes we have experienced.

ya i would take her to the doc i mean it might just be a stage she is going through or it could be more so i would take her just to be on the safe side well hope everything gets better take care

Wow- your responses are running from the sublime to the ridiculous. At the risk of offending anyone and/or having my post yanked, please get you child to a doctor for evaluation before she suffers more harm. I can't imagine how anxious and miserable she must be. It is ludicrous to believe religion has anything to do with this or that it should be the first intervention. You are responsible for your daughter's health and well being. Please make her an appointment as soon as possible.

Hello I'm JC, first let me ask what do you mean by going through all the changes. It seems that you and your daughter need a great deal of prayer, that's if you believe. I'm a prayer warrior and have prayed for all types of spirts within people around people etc.. If you are interested in prayer and Godly advise please contact me at ____@____.com. Waiting to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Jc

My 2 cents... And I am NOT a child psychologist or pediatric medical professional, so I suppose really, my thoughts don't hold much value...

It sounds like she is still reacting from the hurricanes, grieving from the trauma it wrecked upon her previous home life, processing the knowledge of death and destruction that comes with natural disasters, moving, family instability, etc. She may perceive and feel powerless to "constant" and numerous forces surrounding her and out of her control... And then she redirects and internalizes scary TV & movie images (the black beings in Harry Potter movies for example), science lessons about bugs and germs, or images of Satan/devil/demons from church and biblical stories. In a way, this behavior allows her to have control over what she eats, what she touches, what happens to her.

My primary concern would be in regard to the development of an eating disorder especially since she is already showing signs of rejecting food or being grossed out by food and since she exhibits high-levels of anxiety in general. And yes, bulimia and anorexia nervosa can manifest from feelings of lack of control. I think it is critical that you try to nip this behavior before she enters her teen years where anxiety, eating disorders and self-destructive behavior could really get out of control.

Good luck.

It sounds like she needs to see a professional therapist. I think those are symptoms of much bigger issues that may need some serious attention and possible medication. Usually I am not an advocate of meds, but extreme situations warrent them sometimes.

I would suggest you talk to Lily Jones. She will be able to give insight as to whether your daughter is really seeing shadow entities or whether they are just imagination. She may also be able to give insight on the bugs issue. She works a lot with children having these experiences.
Her number is ###-###-####
Good luck.
Z. Lightway

Call and speak with your pediatrician immediately. Ask for a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist to see her for an evaluation. Also, inform the elementary school social worker of your concerns and speak with her teacher. They may have noticed things too, and they will want to be part of the process of helping your daughter.

Having been through hurricanes is traumatic for children, as well as the changeable situation of having people come and go, as you mentioned. Whether it is due to those issues or a biological issue, your daughter needs your compassion and to be seen by qualified professionals.

I'm sure it's just a phase. But, I would get to know her friends just in case there is some influence you don't know about. Start inviting them over and just listen as well as talk with them. Get to know them. Spend more time with your daughter; this might be an attention seeking thing. Also, sit down and reason with her without getting frustrated if possible. This could just be a simple misunderstanding of a science unit or something. I remember thinking everything was gross and would cause me to get sick. I examined any new type of food with suspicion and would refuse to drink after anyone. The shadows still bug me. I think I see things all the time. The bugs crawling on her would bother me. That is a strange sensation and needs to be monitored. But, it could be as simple as dry skin that itches and gives a crawling sensation. Keep talking to her calmly and with much reason. All this should pass. But, keep it all in the back of your mind just in case something really is going on and you can put the puzzle pieces together. You stay calm and stable because her world gets crazy and she needs to know that you are a calm refuge to ease her fears that she can come to no matter how strange the fear is.

This sounds EXACTLY like my daughter at age 11! This began at puberty and worsened each month during her period. Please get your daughter the professional help that I did not do for my daughter at that age. (We did a lot of praying, until she was 14, hospitalized with borderline schizophrenia, and had to begin taking antipsychotic medications!) I do not think that your daughter will go down the same road as our daughter, because this should scare you enough to get help for your daughter immmediately. I did eventually take my daughter to Texas Children's Hopital ER and said she was hearing and seeing things that nobody else could hear or see. Besides the psychological problems, they also fould that she had hypothyroidism. You may prefer to get a psychological evaluation by a CHILD psychologist, who can recommend a psychiatrist if he finds medication to be necessary. I do not recommend using a school psychologist, although free of charge, it takes much too long to get the evaluation done. I know the heartache and frustration that you are experiencing. Please feel free to contact me anytime you need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen.

If you are a nurse you should mentally go back through your psych clinicals. Or pull out the psych textbook. You didn't say whether or not she had a pre-existing condition, though you stated there were no new meds. I would take her to a shrink immediately. Onset of skitzophrenia (sp) typically goes witht the onset of puberty. Signs include hallucinations and a typically coupled with paranoia and obsessive or compulsive tendancies. WebMd had a lot of info that you may find helpful. Being through two hurricanes and a lot of family disruption can trigger episodes. I'm sorry you all have to go through this but the best way to help her is to understand what she's going through and get her the help she needs.

This sounds serious! Have you taken her to the doctor/pschiatrist about this? She really sounds like she has some kind of organic problem going on that may need medication and definitely some counseling with all she's been through......that's what I would think. Bless your heart! Good luck!

I would have her evaluated to make sure there are no medical or emotional problems. Sounds like she is becoming OCD.

As a mother it sounds like she needs to talk with someone who has the training to listen to her problems more than a mom. I dn not meat the school councilor. Hope that things get better for you.

You really need to contact her pediatrician asap to get a referral to a pedi psych. to insure she is not suffering from an affective disorder. Even though you don't think she has suffered trauma, dealing with hurricanes, disruption in the home (lots of family in and out), parents fighting, etc. can be considered trauma for her young age. She needs an impartial person such as a psych that will allow her to talk about her worries, fears, etc. without wondering if she's going to hurt you, her dad or anyone else with what she is feeling.
D.

Run , do not walk , to a child therapist or psychiatrist.
Sounds a great deal like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)This is treatable with therapy and medication. Definitely not anything that would typically occur due to a trauma or parents arguing. The earlier a doctor intervenes the better chance of being able to treat this successfully. Try to find a psychiatrist who specializes in OCD in children. If this isn't what she's dealing with , the psychiatrist should still be able to work with her.
P. Humphries
School Director/Owner
Creative Corner Child Development Center

Your daughter may have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) or some other psychological issue. She should see a doctor who will be able to adress these issues with medicine. The symptom which concerns me is seeing shadows, which may indicate a serious medical issue. Please see a doctor.

By changes do you mean that she is starting to menstruate, or is she not there yet. You may want to check out her diet, is it processed, does she drink milk. I have a BS in Holistic Nutrition, which is not traditional but has helped me tremendously. I believe some of these things could be diet related. For instance milk has natural & added(growth) hormones & antiobiotics (checkout www.notmilk.com). She may also have stomach parasites, that may actually be a reason she is in the bug mode. She may need a detox diet consisting of basically an organic vegetarian diet for at least 1 wk(rice, vegetables, fruits, nuts, avocado, ezekial bread, oatmeal, quinoa, almond milk, fresh lemonade with agave nectar. I know this sounds hard, I believe helpful. She may also needs some Omegas 3,6, 9 I like to use Barleans & a probiotic like Primadopholis (adds friendly bacteria to overcrowd the bad). A Whole Food employee in vitamin area can help you with this. Also, if she can not do a detox diet try to eliminate all dairy, soda pop, artificial colors FD&C, msg, white bread, aspartame, HVP-hydrolized protein, red meat & pork. I hope this helps. C
www.mybiopro.com/claudia13 (learn how to protect your family from cell phone radiation & EMF pollution)

Hello,
I am so sorry to hear your little daughter is having these issues. It seems to me she is developing some sort of phobia that isvery real to her.
Going thru hurricanes can be traumatic enough- but perhaps she has seen something on TV that has scared her- you might try some topical cremes or lotions to put on her to make her feel more comfortable- but I think you should get her some professional help before she gets into full puberty and the phobia becomes to severe.
I would totally change her TV habits and watch what she is reading.........I would try not to gt frustrated with her or let her see my frustration- even tho that would be hard.........look at her food with her- give her comfort.. leave her bedroom lites on at nite so she won;t see any shadows- etc....just keep re assuring her that these things she is feeling or seeing are not real........I wish I had more suggestions that would help..
Blessings
I don't knnow if you guys are in a church family or not but getting her into a sunday School would help.........but if in a little while she does not getout ,

You are a nurse and you cannot see that your child has an emotional (or mental) problem? Get her to a physician ASAP who can determine what her problem is.

Hi N R

Check to see if she has had any health or biology classes that talk about how the earth is a recycling environment. How parasites are the earths mechansium to do that recycling.

If this is the case then they need to finish teaching her that this is normal, and not to worry about it.

I would also change her diet as much as you can. Add some childrens liquid calcium, and liquid mineral, and a childrens probiotic supplements. I would get her off as much soda, sugar, white flour, red meat, pork and dairy as you can.

On my website www.creeksideherbhouse.com the reading page lists books where you can do more research on this. You can find these books at any library, or some are on line. The theory page is how the body gets sick, from the lack of proper nutrition, and the lack of keeping the saliva ph between 6.3 and 6.6. My contact informaion is on the bottom of the home page.

I hope this has given you a direction to look in for the answers to help your daughter with.

Blessings
J. M

NR, please take this child to see a psychiatrist as soon as you can. Call your pediatrician for a recommendation or take one that one of the moms have recommended, but this child is suffering. Going through hurricanes is traumatic and that may have triggered this reaction, but it is not the cause. She is hallucinating and that is something that needs to be treated.
Do not tell yourself that you should have seen this. As a nurse, I totally missed that one of my kids needed glasses and a friend had to point it out. We are blind when it comes to our own kids as we have too much invested in them.
With help (and probably some meds) she can be helped. Please don't delay.
Good luck and let us know how it all turns out.
K. c

When my daughter was about that age she "saw people in the room with her" and she "woke up with bugs on her" and many similar things. . . we talked about it, I reassured her that there was nothing around and made "safe zones" and "clean zones" in her room. In her case she also got a puppy to keep her company and "scare away the bad things".
BUT just to be safe, we also made an appointment for a routine physical just to make sure that there wasn't something up with her eyes or head. . .

You might not want to do a live dog (or you might, up to you), but if your daughter has the active imagination that she seems to, you might be able to make a "stuffed animal" the protector (I had "Sicky Bear" to keep my safe when I was little). All it usually needs is a little time, a little patience and a keen eye from mom.

As for the food, she might have found or a friend might have found, something in a plate that spooked her and now she is afraid she will eat something "yucky" . . . let her look, but don't let her refuse to eat something unless she can show you exactly why she shouldn't. . . .

Looks like you have gootten advice from both sides. I have a dughter that about the same age would see ghosts. She did not want to be left in her room alone. I would get upset at her becasue she was always scared but then the more I talked with family and doctors we helped her deal with it then one day it was all gone. All you can do is listen to her don't argue or get mad just listen...even if it's not what you believe. She needs someone to talk with and needs to know you are not going to judge her. It will pass with help. As for the bugs if you don't take care of it now she will become ocd and will only get worse. Good luch and hang in there.

It sounds to me like she might be having some serious anxiety issues. Either that, or she may be having a reaction to a prescription she might be taking? I think it's more likely anxiety. I would suggest talking to her dr. about it and asking for a recommendation of a child psychologist or therapist

Have you talked to your family's pediatrician or your daughter's school counselor (who may be able to offer a REFERRAL, not necessarily counsel your daughter)?

There are lots of scary movies and tv shows that deal with shadows and such. Is it possible she has seen them over a friend's or watched one secretly? I used to watch them as a child (my mom didn't mind) and I was TERRIFIED of all sorts of supernatural things. It may be as simple as that. If so, re-assure her that these were just movies and not real. Good luck!

Bless your heart! This is very tough for you I'm sure. First thing you need to remember is that it's not your fault and it's not her fault. Maybe a combination of stress has given her an OCD complex about buggies. The best thing you need to do is take her to a child psychologist. She needs therapy, don't try to handle it on your own, you wouldn't want it to get worse. And for her seeing shadows, is it a new house, have you lived there before? Are you doing any reconstruction to the house? Reason I ask is she might actually be seeing shadows. How is she sleeping?

PLEASE do as Mary suggested. This is truly too much for a family to handle on their own. Think about how scared and out of control you feel.......now think about how much MORE your daughter feels.

I agree with Mary M. It sounds like your daughter should get some help as it sounds like she's gone through a lot and she may be trying to cope with her experiences.

Good luck!

I'm in agreement with taking her to the doctor. She may have overly sensitive skin that's being stimulated by her clothing. It may be neurological. It may be a phase.

Get her checked out by medical professional to rule out anything that can be treated before looking to anything alternative.

Massive hugs to you!

I'll be quick since you have so many responses. This could be purely psychological, but I did not see anyone suggest that you have her thyroid checked. Ask the doctor about having blood work done to rule out anything like that as well. Thyroid issues can cause many strange things.

I remember when my daughter turned 10. I cried and then called my mother. I asked her advice and she said you go in your corner and she can go in hers and wait until she is 18. I will get much better after that. lol. Well, I did and my daughter isnt so mouthy now. As for the bugs etc... Is she learning something new at school regarding germs etc?

If you haven't already you might want to have her tested for bipolar. I know some people who are bipolar see and even hear things that aren't there. They also tend to be afraid of alot of things such as germs etc.. Just a suggestion.

You can be sure there are lots of Moms out here who will answer you.

My only comment is that it seems like your daughter may need some counseling. It is definitely NOT normal to see things and to obsess about them getting in your body and killing you. You need to talk to her pediatrician and get a referral to a psychologist and/or psychiatrist.

Get help for her right away so that she can address these issues before puberty makes everything worse!

I have never experianced this myself, but I would seek counseling for her as soon as possible. She could be hallucinating or have some Obessive compulsive disorder.

I think only a psyciatrist could get to the bottom of this or help her manage her paranoia.

Good luck.