Ok, so I tried to control my panic as my daughter told me she sometimes hears a voice in her head, but Im not sure how well I did. She has seizures. Most of the time they are focal seizures, in her face, arms, legs or a combo. She is aware 90% of the time. Occationaly she will have a seizure that is bigger (only one grand mal) and she isnt really aware of what happened. Anyway, since about the age of 4 (she is 7 now) she has said something strange. When my husband would tickle her or we would rub her back (not every time) she would say "it makes me feel like Im not a part of the family". We didnt understand. We tried to get her to explain but a 4 yr old can only explain so much. She has continued to use this same phrase over the past few years off and on. It was always strange but we never thought about it too much.
The other night while lying in bed, she was talking about school and started to sratch the underside of her forearm. She then started crying. I asked her her what was wrong and she said, "I feel like Im not a part of the family". It was so out of the blue so of course I started asking questions. Meanwhile she is in tears. I asked why and she looked at me and said (with a definate pause) "because the voice told me that". Freaking out insued (only on the inside). I asked her if she'd heard the voice before. She said yes. She explained that sometimes she gets a tingley feeling in her arm and when she scratches it she hears the voice. She told me its not her voice. It a slow talking male voice. (she did the impression) It makes her feel very sad. She knows the voice isnt real and its never said anything else. The kicker is that she says she can make it happen too.
I know there are such things as auditory seizures. I was leaning towards that however I dont know if you can MAKE them happen. I dont know if its been happening so long its a conditioned response to her scratching her arm (its the only part of her body that triggers it). I looked up Schitophrenia (sp?) and other than the voices she doesnt have any other symptoms. Im just at a loss and honestly freaking out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!!!!!

Just a quick addition...she also says she has nightmares. She will yell for us and obviously be shaken however, she hasnt fallen asleep yet. We get frustrated saying, you cant have a nightmare if you havent even fallen asleep yet. Now Im starting to wonder if its hallucinations (sp?)
I hate all of this!!!!!

Hi concernedmom,

What your daughter is discribing to you sounds like a simple partial (aura) sz. that is leading into another type of sz. I've had complex partial sz. for over 40 yrs. and at the beginning of the sz. I will see colors flashing back and forth in my eyes and hear one word repeated over and over again in a different voice but I am conscious at the time. This is all part of a simple partial (aura) sz. that causes hallucinations. When I was a kid around 11-12 yrs. old this would happen to me and I would look at my parents or anyone around me and their face would look really scary like I was looking at a monster. I know it sounds strange but this can happen especially if their is damage on both sides of the brain. Try giving your child vitamin B12 250 mcg. once a day and cut her back on carbs, starch foods, and anything with nutra sweet (aspartame) in it. Also get a calendar and start keeping track of these types of sz. write down what time the sz. happened and a discription of the sz. Take note if there's a low pressure in the weather or your child has been sick because this can sometimes trigger sz. for a person.
In regards to depression this is all part of having epilepsy along with the AED's a person takes to control the sz. and the best thing to do is to keep your child busy so she has less time on her hands to think of depressing or negative things. If you keep track of the sz. as I mentioned this will help her neuro and the neuro may see a pattern in the sz. as to what time of day or what days of the month she is more likely to have any sz. I wish you and your daughter only the best of luck and May God Bless You Both!

Sue

concernedmom,

It is great to have you come and be with us. You will fine a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

I see that Sue has given you some wonderful assistance. I will agree with her on going to see a neuro or as she said an Epileptologist at an Epilepsy Center.

Please keep us up to date on your situation. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with your daughter as well as you at this time.