Imaginary friend | ADHD Information
I had an imaginery friend, but I didn't talk to her out loud. If I were you, I'd take her to a NeuroPsych. I had to laugh when you said Ed, Edd and Eddy as my son, who is on the autistic spectrum, LOVES THAT SHOW and can recite episodes verbatim...lol. He talks when the TV is on, but he is sort of talking to the TV characters. I would be a little concerned that she is talking out loud at her age. I have a nine year old (almost ten) and she wouldn't be caught dead acting inappropriately. I've also raised three other kids to adulthood and ditto. I truly believe something is going on that hasn't been diagnosed yet, but I couldn't tell you what. She could be on the autism spectrum, high functioning. Bipolar kids tend to take their imaginery friends too far--some even "hear" them in their heads and hallucinate (not saying this is going on, but it's good to check everything out). I don't think this has anything to do with ADHD. We've gone through the diagnostic mill at our house and I'm a bipolar adult. Something is "off" here. She's too old to be talking out loud to an imaginery friend. Posting here won't help you--you really do need either a NeuroPsych or a Psychiatrist (with the MD--not a Psycologist or counselor). If she is an "odd duck" that could point to autistic spectrum disorder, but, again, I don't know. You need a good, creditialed professional who can diagnose a complicated child. Here's another board you may want to post on. THe parents there have kids with every sort of problem imaginable and they are very knowledgeable. I started out only posting there and got tons of help when we suspected our son was misdiagnosed. Good luck!
I had tried that link and dont think she is autistic.
Just so afraid of misdiagnose, well doctors in Bosnia are far away from USs, scared of what meds can do with her liver, couse we have liver cancer in family history...
My hair chill when she run and laugh like Eddy and dont care if she annoy anyone.
I still don't care what others think about me. I value my individuality.My mother used to tell people: "If everyone at school was wearing black pants, Chris would wear white." and it was true. But I was not a rebel in the sense that most rebels are. I just wanted everyone to know that I had a mind of my own. I was alienated by many, but I had a few dear and close friends. I think because I had so few friends they were dearer to me. I looked at the popular kids who tried to find favor in everyone's eyes and they looked miserable to me.
I wasn't the happiest kid in school, but I was happier with myself than most. And I considered myself a loner. Mammi, I don't know if your daughter feels this way, but it IS possible.
Depression is a normal part of being a teenager (or preteen), but a lot of kids find ways to cope and to adjust and sometimes its by imagining their way out of dreadful circumstances. There is nothing wrong with coping. I'd be more worried if she were lashing out at her tormentors with violence.
My only real advice is this: Talk with her. Make sure that she sees you as someone that really cares for HER. Try to stay close to her while letting her be herself. Love her for who she IS and not who she should be. If you can talk to her and have some influence in her life then you will be able to help her with real problems.
Thank you Ascentionist for your calm words
I was a loner and still am. Like my life. Love my kids.
She is the happiest kid when I say to her I LOVE YOU, you are my beautiful princess.Then her eyes are shiny.
I dont want her to be most popular just normal girl, so other children doesnt call her name.
Dont want to see her sad when she grown up and to late to repair (my?) mistake.
[QUOTE=mammi]I had tried that link and dont think she is autistic.
Just so afraid of misdiagnose, well doctors in Bosnia are far away from USs, scared of what meds can do with her liver, couse we have liver cancer in family history...
My hair chill when she run and laugh like Eddy and dont care if she annoy anyone.
[/QUOTE] Mammi, honest, my son does the same thing and it doesn't scare me. But I know he's on the autistic spectrum. He is so high functioning that nobody would guess it just to see him. He talks like everyone else, can surface socialize, and has had so much intervention he has greatly improved. I have to say, he is obsessed with that darn Ed, Edd and Eddy...lol. Before that, it was Sponge Bob (sigh). I don't know if you have NeuroPsychs where you live, but it would be good to have her see one just to make sure. People think of autism as either "Rainman" or a child unable to speak, smashing their head on the floor. It is usually neither and higher functioning autistics can be mistaken for "odd ducks." Some feel Bill Gates has Aspergers Syndrome. It's just a guess on the parts of some professionals though. He seems socially appropriate to me (shrug). In ASD the kids most glaring problem is lack of social skills/understanding of other people. It is a glaring deficet...often the kids are friendless and some don't even want to have friends, but prefer being alone. My son does have friends at school, but has no desire to see them at home. He also doesn't like to try new places--transitions are hard for him, and he has a lot of sensory issues. I do feel the US is ahead of most countries in terms of childhood disorders, so that makes it tougher if you live outside of the US/Canada. I do wish you luck in figuring out what's wrong. Does your child memorize episodes of this Ed, Edd and Eddy? (A happy day for me will be when it goes off the air...lol). you are doing the best you can.nobody wants to see their children sad.your child could be on the autistic spectrum without being fully autistic(so i have been told by my psy)like oldermum suggest ADHD is not always the only answer ot the right one either.the latest suggestion thrown at us is DAMPS(deficit in attention,motor skills and perception syndrome).your head will spin at all the suggestion,at the end of the day,you know your child best and have to follow your instinct and at the same time,take on board what all the doctors tell you.as for meds,the alternative board has been a lot of help to me.mammi, I disagree. My son also can learn narrative by rote. That's a strong autistic trait. When I bought my son musical addition, subtraction, multiplication, division tapes, he learned the songs too! Yet he doesn't really "get" how he gets his answers. More and more I think you should test him for autism spectrum disorder. PDD-NOS (pervasive development disorder-not otherwise specified) means autistic traits, but not all the symptoms. My son has this. I don't k now what DAMPS is as it's not a US dx., but sounds a lot like PDD-NOS. These kids require a lot of 1-1 teaching, most need small classrooms, and most can improve greatly with the right interventions. ADHD is often a dumping ground dx. for kids with autistic traits. Only an autistic kid can actually ENJOY learning to recite by rote. Heck, what kids WANTS to memorize whole episodes of shows??? My son does not "get" abstract concepts, but he is a fantastic rote learner. It's up to you, but it's always best to have a child totally evaluated. I don't know how your country's health system works. With us, we just made appointments when we felt the need for more explanation as to son's behaviors. It took a while, even in the US, to get the right dx. I wish you good luck.Not memorized but KNOW every little word.
When she have to learn cartoons or songs she is the best but learn multipliing or dividing then we have to fight. She lern ONLY what she want.
She even learn English from cartoons only, she is the best in the class.
That is the only benefit of cartoons.
There is other social problem she have not just this one
. Anyway, I allready decided to take her to doctor to evaluate her, I just needed to talk with someone, who understand us, before.
You all helped me to feel better about her and myself too. Thaaaaaanks
my 2 girls both had imaginary friends when they were younger.....Hallo
My girl /9/ has some problem, asumed she is ADHD.
She likes to look cartoons a lot, afterwhat became HYPER and misbehave.
I turn the TV off but then she talk with her imaginary friend, ofcourse from cartoon like ED,EDD andEDDy, or similar. She is a big girl, kids call her WEIRD but she doesnt care, just like its easier for her to have imagine friend.It make me sad to see her alone talking herself and bunch of kids away teasing or just ignore her.
Tired of fight with wind, nobody understand me.
People here, doesnnt know about ADHD a lot so I was refusing to see a doctor, but now i think I will see a specialist. AFRAID A LOT.
hello mami,i was told that my son who has ADHD and is 3 can't make the difference between reality and fiction,it seems your daughter is the same.it is hard when you feel that you are alone.don't be afraid,it is easier once you know for sure what is the matter with your child.once you know you can decide which way you want to go (meds,homeopathy,therapy and so on).she eventually will find a real friend and this other kids are the losers.i found it less difficult by being on this site,a lot of ideas,support and listening ears.you are not alone.I had imaginary friends as a child. I talked to them and named them even. But I avoided doing it at school because that was embarrassing. To a degree I still imagine conversations to people real or imagined in my head very often. I am 32 years old.
My 3 year old son is already talking to cartoon characters, usually to toys that represent them but not always.
I think it is actually healthy for kids to have this kind of imagination to some extent. It helped me deal with being bored and an only child living in a rural area. Imagination is wonderful, and I have always felt sorry for people that didn't seem to have it. Life is so much more interesting.
Sometimes kids are just happier in their own little world. It becomes a danger only if they get older and still refuse to interact with their peers.
Does she have at least one close (real) friend? If so she should be fine.
Just now I feel like .... dont have a word.
Need some comfort from anyone. It means a lot that someone,a miles away, know how I feel.
THANKS
Im afraid that is allready becomes a danger, couse she dont care what others think about her.
She have a few friend but they play with her only if they have no other playmate.
I praised for imagination, it is beautiful gift, but what happens when its all you have.