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Teenager with Asperger's- Hallucinations

Cassie

Hi

My son is 17 and was diagnosed initially with prodromal psychosis, and later with Aspergers after a 4 month stint in a  day unit earlier in the year. I am reasonably confidant that this diagnosis is correct, because he was observed in a clinical environment amongst peers for a long time before it was made.

However, for around 3 years he has been having visual and auditory hallucinations also. He sees and hears somebody who isn't real. The consultant seems to think that this is all part of the ASD but I'm not so sure. I don't believe it is typical for people with autism to hallucinate. He has also suffered from delusions. He is currently taking Seroquel which he describes as 'turning down the volume'

I have a feeling that he might have co-morbid szchizophrenia, but I really hope he doesn't and that all of his disturbed thoughts are due to Asperger's. I'm finding all of this very difficult and have not had a great deal of support from CAMHS or anywhere else recently. He doesn't like to talk to me about any of this and everything I know I was told by other people- mainly my daughter. He forces me to leave the room when he's talking to his doctor about the hallucinations and has confidentiality which I also find very difficult as it limits my ability to help him in any constructive way. He has not told the doctor the full extent of his hallucinations and so I am worried that his diagnosis may not be complete.

any advice welcomed.

Cass

Parents

  • Hi Cass,

    I've just registered after reading your post, as I've come into this from the other direction and hope it gives you some reassurance. My son (almost 13) has been experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations for the last couple of years, which were initially diagnosed as being linked to extreme anxiety and not psychosis. He hears a variety of voices and sees people who can either be passive or aggressive. Most of his voices say negative or threatening things towards him.

    After lots of individual and group work with CAMHS we're now in the first stages of assessment for an ASD as it's becoming clear that, in a very generalised sense, it's the stress and anxiety caused from social interaction (mainly school) that has caused these extreme symptoms. Obviously there are other aspects of his interactions which are pointing to an underlying ASD, but just wanted you to be aware that there are others out here - when I initially started looking for someone experiencing similar problems to my son there seemed to be no-one! Although they're too far from me to access physically, I found Voice Collective a really useful website and resource for both me and my son, so if you haven't already found them it's well worth a visit.

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  • Hi Cass,

    I've just registered after reading your post, as I've come into this from the other direction and hope it gives you some reassurance. My son (almost 13) has been experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations for the last couple of years, which were initially diagnosed as being linked to extreme anxiety and not psychosis. He hears a variety of voices and sees people who can either be passive or aggressive. Most of his voices say negative or threatening things towards him.

    After lots of individual and group work with CAMHS we're now in the first stages of assessment for an ASD as it's becoming clear that, in a very generalised sense, it's the stress and anxiety caused from social interaction (mainly school) that has caused these extreme symptoms. Obviously there are other aspects of his interactions which are pointing to an underlying ASD, but just wanted you to be aware that there are others out here - when I initially started looking for someone experiencing similar problems to my son there seemed to be no-one! Although they're too far from me to access physically, I found Voice Collective a really useful website and resource for both me and my son, so if you haven't already found them it's well worth a visit.

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