Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hallucinations in children and adolescents

  • Published:
Current Psychosis & Therapeutics Reports

Abstract

Clinicians need to consider a wide range of differential diagnoses when children and adolescents present with hallucinations. This includes considering whether it is a developmentally normal phenomenon or if there is a psychiatric, medical, or neurologic diagnosis. Nonpsychotic children with hallucinations can be differentiated from psychotic children. Nonpsychotic children who are at risk (or prodromal) for future psychosis can be differentiated from nonprodromal healthier children. We examine the epidemiology, prognosis, and neurobiological research. Lastly, we discuss treatment approaches, including medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Kaplan HI, Sadock BJ:Synopsis of Psychiatry, Eighth Edition. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.

  3. Chambers WJ, Puig-Antich J, Tabrizi MA, Davies M:Psychotic symptoms in prepubertal major depressive disorder.Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982,39:921–927.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Garralda ME:Hallucinations in children with conduct and emotional disorders: 1. The clinical phenomena.Psychol Med 1984,14:589–596.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Fennig S, Susser ES, Pilowsky D,et al.:Childhood hallucinations preceding the first psychotic episode.J Nerv Ment Dis 1997,185:115–116.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Yoshizumi T, Murase S, Honjo S,et al.:Hallucinatory experiences in a community sample of Japanese children.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2004,43:1030–1036.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. McGee R, Williams S, Poulton R:Hallucinations in nonpsychotic children.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2000,39:12–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Biederman J, Petty C, Faraone SV, Seidman L:Phenomenology of childhood psychosis: Findings from a large sample of psychiatrically referred youth.J Nerv Ment Dis 2004,192:607–614.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ulloa RE, Birmaher B, Axelson D,et al.:Psychosis in pediatric mood and anxiety disorders clinic: phenomenology and correlates.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2000,39:337–345.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Schreier HA, Rothstein A:Hallucinatory phenomenon in childhood.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1981,20:623–635.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Edelsohn GA, Rabinovich H, Portnoy R:Hallucinations in nonpsychotic children: findings from a psychiatric emergency service.Ann N Y Acad Sciences 2003,1008:261–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Wilking VN, Paoli C:The hallucinatory experience: an attempt at a psychodynamic classification and reconsideration of its diagnostic significance.J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1966,5:431–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kotsopoulos S, Konigsberg J, Cote A, Fiedorowicz C:Hallucinatory experiences in non-psychotic children.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1987,26:375–380.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Strauss JS:Hallucinations and delusions as points on continua functions.Arch Gen Psychiatry 1969,21:581–586.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Piaget J:The Child’s Conception of the World. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul; 1929.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Pearson D, Burrow A, FitzGerald C,et al.:Auditory hallucinations in normal child populations.Pers Individ Dif 2001,31:401–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lewis M:Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Comprehensive Textbook. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Yates TT, Bannard JR:The “haunted” child: grief, hallucinations, and family dynamics.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1988,25:574–578.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Chambers WJ, Puig-Antich J, Tabrizi MA, Davis M:Psychotic symptoms in prepubertal major depressive disorder.Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982,39:921–927.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kerbeshian J, Burd L:Are schizophreniform symptoms present in attenuated form in children with Tourette Disorder and other developmental disorders? J Psychiatry 32:123–135.

  21. Schreier HA:Hallucinations in nonpsychotic children: more common than we think? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1999,38:623–625.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Famularo R, Kinscherff R, Fenton T:Psychiatric diagnosis of maltreated children: preliminary findings.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1992,37:863–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Putnam PW, Pterson G:Further validation of the child dissociative checklist.Dissociation 1994,7:204–220.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kaufman J, Birmaher B, Clayton S,et al.:Case study: trauma-related hallucinations.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 36:11:1602–1605.

  25. Janssen I, Krabbendam L, Bak M,et al.:Childhood abuse as a risk factor for psychotic experiences.Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004,109:38–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Calderoni D, Wudarsky M, Bhangoo R,et al.:Differentiating childhood-onset schizophrenia from psychotic mood disorders.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2001,40:1190–1196.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Birmaher B, Ryan ND, Williamson DE,et al.:Childhood and adolescent depression: A review of the past 10 years. Part I.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1996,35:1427–1439.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Volkmar F:Childhood and adolescent psychosis: a review of the past 10 years.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 35:843–851.

  29. First MB, Frances A, Pincus HA:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Handbook of Differential Diagnosis. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Arseneault L, Cannon M, Witton J, Murray RM:Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence.British J Psychiatry 2004,184:110–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Gross-Tsur V, Joseph A, Shalev RS:Hallucinations during methylphenidate therapy.Neurology 2004,63:753–754.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Schreier HA:Auditory hallucinations in nonpsychotic children with affective syndromes and migraines: report of 13 cases.J Child Neurology 1998,13:377–382.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. McAbee G, Sagan A, Winter L:Olfactory hallucinations during migraine in an adolescent with an MRI temporal lobe lesion.Headache 2000,40:592–594.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Saeed MA, Pumariega AG, Cinciripini PM:Psychopharmacological management of migraine in children and adolescents.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacology 1992,3:199–211.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Wyllie E, ed.:The Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practices. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Victor M, Ropper AH:Adams and Victor’s Principles of Neurology, 7th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Meyer SE, Bearden CE, Lux SR,et al.:The psychosis prodrome in adolescent patients viewed through the lens of the DSM-IV.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2005, In press.

  38. Poulton R, Caspi A, Moffitt TE,et al.:Children’s self-reported psychotic symptoms and adult schizophreniform disorder.Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000,54:1053–1058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Nicolson R, Lenane M, Brookner F,et al.:Children and adolescents with psychotic disorder not otherwise specified: a 2- to 8-year follow-up study.Compr Psychiatry 2001,42:319–325.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Escher S, Romme M, Buiks A,et al.:Formation of delusional ideation in adolescents hearing voices: a prospective study.Am J Med Genet 2002,114:913–920.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Drake RJ, Haley CJ, Akhtar S, Lewis SW:Causes of duration of untreated psychosis in schizophrenia.Br J Psychiatry 2000,177:511–515.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Loebel AD, Lieberman JA, Alvir JMJ,et al.:Duration of psychosis and outcome in first episode schizophrenia.Am J Psychiatry 1992,149:1183–1188.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Miller TJ, McGlashan TH, Woods SW,et al.:Symptom assessment in schizophrenic prodromal states.Psych Q 1999,70:273–287.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Yung A, Phillips LJ, McGorry PD,et al.:Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) Full Version. Australia: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, September 2001. The PACE Clinic.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Klosterkoetter J, Hellmich M, Steinmeyer EM, Schultze-Lutter F:Diagnosing schizophrenia in the initial prodromal phase.Arch Gen Psychiatry 2001,58:158–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Yung AR:Commentary: The schizophrenia prodrome: a high-risk concept.Schizohren Bull 2003,29:859–865.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Miller TJ, McGlashan TH, Rosen JL,et al.:Prodromal assessment with the structured interview for prodromal syndromes and the scale of prodromal symptoms: predictive validity, interrater reliability, and training to reliability.Schizophr Bull 2003,29:703–715.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Chakos MH, Schobel SA, Gu H, Gerig G,et al.:Duration of illness and treatment effects on hippocampal volume in male patients with schizophrenia.Br J Psychiatry 2005,186:26–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Phillips LJ, Velakoulis D, Pantelis C,et al.:Non-reduction in hippocampal volume is associated with higher risk of psychosis.Schizophr Res 2002,58:145–158.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Pantelis C, Yucel M, Wood SJ,et al.:The timing and functional consequences of structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia.Neurosci News 2001,4:36–46.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Shergill SS, Brammer MJ, Amaro E:Temporal course of auditory hallucinations.Br J Psychiatry 2004,185:516–517.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Shergill SS, Brammer JJ, Williams SCR,et al.:Mapping auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: using functional magnetic resonance imaging.Arch Gen Psychtatry 2000,57:1033–1038.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. McGorry PD, Yung AR, Phillips LJ,et al.:Randomized controlled trial of interventions designed to reduce the risk of progression to first episode psychosis in a clinical sample with subthreshold symptoms.Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002,59:921–928.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. McGlashan TH, Zipursky RB, Perkins DO,et al.:Olanzapine versus placebo treatment of the schizophrenic prodrome: One-year results.Poster presentation at the International Congress of Schizophrenia Research, Colorado Springs, CO. April–May 2003.

  55. Morrison AP, French P, Walford L, Lewis SW,et al.:Cognitive therapy for the prevention of psychosis in people at ultrahigh risk.Br J Psychiatry 2004,185:291–297.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. French P, Morrison AP:Early Detection and Cognitive Therapy for People at High Risk of Developing Psychosis. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Turkington D, Siddle R:Cognitive therapy for the treatment of delusions.Adv Psychiatric Treatment 1998,4:235–242.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Sosland MD, Pinninti N:Five ways to quiet auditory hallucinations.Curr Psychiatry 2005,4:40.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Kingdon DG, Turkington D:Cognitive Behavioural Therapy of Schizophrenia. New York: Guilford Press; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Chadwick P, Birchwood M, Trower P,Cognitive Therapy for Delusions, Voices, and Paranoia. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Nelson H:Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Schizophrenia: A Practice Manual. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Stanley Thornes Ltd; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thomas Jefferson University, 833 Chestnut Street, Suite 210-D, 19107, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Gail A. Edelsohn MD

Authors
  1. Morton D. Sosland MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gail A. Edelsohn MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sosland, M.D., Edelsohn, G.A. Hallucinations in children and adolescents. Current Psychosis & Therapeutics Reports 3, 182–190 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629452

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629452

Keywords

Search

Navigation