The word “psychosis” is used to describe a situation where a child loses touch with reality. Psychosis is very rare in children. It is normal for children to go through a stage where they cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is pretend. However, after this stage of development, if they continue to see and hear things that do not exist, they may have a mental health issue.

Signs and Symptoms of Psychosis

Your child may be experiencing psychosis if they have:

Delusions

Delusions are unshakable beliefs that are obviously untrue. For example, a child may strongly believe that there is a plot to harm them, that they are being spied on through the television or that they are being taken over by aliens.

Thought Disorder

Thought Disorder occurs when a child is not thinking straight, and it is hard to make sense of what they are saying. Ideas may be jumbled up but in a way that is more than being muddled or confused.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations occur when a child sees or hears something that is not really there. The most common hallucination that children may have is hearing voices. This can be very frightening and can make them believe that they are being watched or picked on. Children who are having these experiences may act strangely. For example, they may talk or laugh to themselves as if talking to somebody that you cannot see.

Possible Mental Health Diagnoses

Possible mental health diagnoses within this symptom cluster include:

• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Substance abuse and dependence

A child with the symptoms listed above could also have a medical condition. Talk to your child’s pediatrician about  our child’s symptoms.