Q:
My 5½-year-old grandson, who is hyperactive and has OCD, told me that he heard voices. He said it was a little boy who told him to do bad things. My daughter seems to think it’s an imaginary friend, but I think it’s more than that. What do you think? Do you think she needs to contact his doctor, or is this his way of getting out of trouble?
A:
Children are like adults in that they have “bad” thoughts when they get upset or mad. Sometimes, they say someone else told them to do it as a way of associating their own actions with someone else. It’s also possible that your grandson has imaginary friends. At 5½, though, he seems awfully young to be diagnosed with hyperactivity and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Are you sure those labels fit your grandson? If he’s truly hyperactive, your daughter should be receiving counseling to learn how to manage her son and help him grow normally. I strongly doubt he has OCD and would suggest that you get a second opinion on that diagnosis.
Kenneth N. Condrell Ph.D Child Psychologist