{"formatVersion":"1.1","id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers","path":"/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers","title":"What should I do if my son says he hears voices and whispers?","family":"Answers detail","description":"A parent reports that a seven-year-old son hears voices and whispers that distract him, alongside a history of severe migraines.","language":"en-US","access":{"audience":"public","indexable":true},"provenance":{"sourceUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers","wordpressId":"6240","contentCompleteness":"complete","dateScope":"original-source"},"authors":[{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/allan-schwartz#person","name":"Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/allan-schwartz"}],"reviewer":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/jesse-hanson#person","name":"Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/jesse-hanson"},"dates":{"datePublished":"2024-06-01T00:35:15Z","dateModified":"2025-09-07T07:25:45Z","lastReviewed":"2025-09-15"},"content":{"html":"
Answers

What should I do if my son says he hears voices and whispers?

\"\"Written byAllan Schwartz, Ph.D.\"\"Medically reviewed byJesse Hanson, Ph.D.
Published
Updated
Reviewed

Summary

\"An

A parent reports that a seven-year-old son hears voices and whispers that distract him, alongside a history of severe migraines. The parent asks what to do after the child describes the experience.

The answer recommends a prompt pediatric examination, including consideration of neurological and other medical causes.

It stresses that many explanations are possible and that the available description does not establish a psychiatric diagnosis, so speculation should give way to a full evaluation.

?

Question

Reader · Identity withheld

Just this morning my son who is 7 years old told me that he hears voices and whispers. The discussion came up when he told his sister to stop making fun of him and she had not said a word.

Then I asked him why he doesn’t listen when he is told to do something and he said that the whispers where too loud. My son also has gotten very bad migraines in the past. What should I do?

\"\"

Answer

Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.

In my opinion, you should bring your son to his pediatrician as soon as possible. He needs to be fully examined and evaluated. There are many things that can cause auditory hallucinations. It does not sound as though this is any kind of secret or imaginary playmate. The Pediatrician should order a full examination of your son, including a neurological examination as I am sure will happen.

\n

There are many things that can cause a 7 year old to have this type of experience. The potential problems can range from his experiencing a fall and hitting his head all the way to a nerve or brain problem and to sinus and ear problems and finally to a psychiatric condition.

At the moment it is silly to speculate because we have no way of knowing why this is happening. What we do know is that the whispering scares and distracts him.

\n

Good luck and let’s hope this is a minor and passing problem.

Subject matter expert

\"\"

Carlos Protzel Psy.D.

Integrative mental health care

View profile
\"\"
Author

Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.

Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of private practice experience.

\"\"
Medical reviewer

Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.

Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a clinical and somatic psychologist with over 20 years of experience in neuropsychology, specializing in integrative, mind-body…

\"\"

Related community

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Connect around family relationships, shared experiences, and well-being at home.

Related questions

What else can help my son stop hearing voices?Why am I hearing voices?Why do I hear voices and feel no emotion?
","text":"Home Answers What should I do if my son says he hears voices and whispers? AnswersWhat should I do if my son says he hears voices and whispers? Written byAllan Schwartz, Ph.D.Medically reviewed byJesse Hanson, Ph.D. Published June 1, 2024 Updated September 7, 2025 Reviewed September 15, 2025 SummaryQuestionAnswer Summary A parent reports that a seven-year-old son hears voices and whispers that distract him, alongside a history of severe migraines. The parent asks what to do after the child describes the experience. The answer recommends a prompt pediatric examination, including consideration of neurological and other medical causes. It stresses that many explanations are possible and that the available description does not establish a psychiatric diagnosis, so speculation should give way to a full evaluation. ? Question Reader · Identity withheld Just this morning my son who is 7 years old told me that he hears voices and whispers. The discussion came up when he told his sister to stop making fun of him and she had not said a word. Then I asked him why he doesn’t listen when he is told to do something and he said that the whispers where too loud. My son also has gotten very bad migraines in the past. What should I do? Answer Allan Schwartz, Ph.D. In my opinion, you should bring your son to his pediatrician as soon as possible. He needs to be fully examined and evaluated. There are many things that can cause auditory hallucinations. It does not sound as though this is any kind of secret or imaginary playmate. The Pediatrician should order a full examination of your son, including a neurological examination as I am sure will happen. There are many things that can cause a 7 year old to have this type of experience. The potential problems can range from his experiencing a fall and hitting his head all the way to a nerve or brain problem and to sinus and ear problems and finally to a psychiatric condition. At the moment it is silly to speculate because we have no way of knowing why this is happening. What we do know is that the whispering scares and distracts him. Good luck and let’s hope this is a minor and passing problem. Subject matter expert Carlos Protzel Psy.D. Integrative mental health care View profile AuthorAllan Schwartz, Ph.D. Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of private practice experience. Medical reviewerJesse Hanson, Ph.D. Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a clinical and somatic psychologist with over 20 years of experience in neuropsychology, specializing in integrative, mind-body… Related community Family Health Connect around family relationships, shared experiences, and well-being at home. 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The Pediatrician should order a full examination of your son, including a neurological examination as I am sure will happen. There are many things that can cause a 7 year old to have this type of experience. The potential problems can range from his experiencing a fall and hitting his head all the way to a nerve or brain problem and to sinus and ear problems and finally to a psychiatric condition. At the moment it is silly to speculate because we have no way of knowing why this is happening. What we do know is that the whispering scares and distracts him. 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Just this morning my son who is 7 years old told me that he hears voices and whispers. The discussion came up when he told his sister to stop making fun of him and she had not said a word.

Then I asked him why he doesn’t listen when he is told to do something and he said that the whispers where too loud. My son also has gotten very bad migraines in the past. What should I do?

","text":"Just this morning my son who is 7 years old told me that he hears voices and whispers. The discussion came up when he told his sister to stop making fun of him and she had not said a word. Then I asked him why he doesn’t listen when he is told to do something and he said that the whispers where too loud. My son also has gotten very bad migraines in the past. What should I do?"},"answer":{"id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers#answer","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers#answer","html":"

In my opinion, you should bring your son to his pediatrician as soon as possible. He needs to be fully examined and evaluated. There are many things that can cause auditory hallucinations. It does not sound as though this is any kind of secret or imaginary playmate. The Pediatrician should order a full examination of your son, including a neurological examination as I am sure will happen.

\n

There are many things that can cause a 7 year old to have this type of experience. The potential problems can range from his experiencing a fall and hitting his head all the way to a nerve or brain problem and to sinus and ear problems and finally to a psychiatric condition.

At the moment it is silly to speculate because we have no way of knowing why this is happening. What we do know is that the whispering scares and distracts him.

\n

Good luck and let’s hope this is a minor and passing problem.

","text":"In my opinion, you should bring your son to his pediatrician as soon as possible. He needs to be fully examined and evaluated. There are many things that can cause auditory hallucinations. It does not sound as though this is any kind of secret or imaginary playmate. The Pediatrician should order a full examination of your son, including a neurological examination as I am sure will happen. There are many things that can cause a 7 year old to have this type of experience. The potential problems can range from his experiencing a fall and hitting his head all the way to a nerve or brain problem and to sinus and ear problems and finally to a psychiatric condition. At the moment it is silly to speculate because we have no way of knowing why this is happening. What we do know is that the whispering scares and distracts him. Good luck and let’s hope this is a minor and passing problem.","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/allan-schwartz#person","name":"Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.","url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/people/allan-schwartz"}},"summaryScope":"Editorial overview of the original question and response; original review dates apply to the source conversation."},"presentation":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-03","template":"answer-conversation","imageGeneratedAt":"2026-10-03"},"seo":{"title":"What should I do if my son says he hears voices and whispers?","description":"A parent reports that a seven-year-old son hears voices and whispers that distract him, alongside a history of severe migraines.","canonical":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/my-son-said-he-hears-voices-and-whispers","robots":"index,follow","socialImage":{"url":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/assets/optimized/f7d19272dd5d30590dddbab9.png","width":1200,"height":630,"alt":"MentalHealth.com — Answers","type":"image/png","sitemapGroup":"answers"}},"subjectMatterExpert":{"name":"Carlos Protzel, Psy.D.","url":"/people/carlos-protzel","profileId":"13151","topic":"wellbeing","focus":"Integrative mental health care","selectionBasis":"Documented expertise in the existing published profile","reviewAttribution":false},"navigation":[{"label":"Summary","href":"#summary"},{"label":"Question","href":"#question"},{"label":"Answer","href":"#answer"}],"relatedCommunity":{"community":"/community/family-health","basis":"topic match"},"collections":[]}